Hibernians win John Tabone Shield

HIBERNIANS                                               94

LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES      86

(24-25, 23-27, 21-18, 26-16)

In a final worthy of the John Tabone Shield, Hibernians clinched victory over Luxol Sherries Estates in a high-tempo contest that saw both teams go head-to-head with non-stop intensity. Hibernians emerged triumphant due to an explosive fourth-quarter surge to lift the trophy after the final buzzer.

A dominant force throughout, Hibs’ Derek Brown ended with 36 points, displaying remarkable athleticism and leadership. Teammate Tedrick Wolfe contributed with 21points and 14 rebounds for a double-double, while Matthew Gouder followed with 20.

Luxol fought hard, with Darron Howard scoring a team-high 25 points, an impressive sharpshooting performance for Nathan Xuereb who followed with 20 points, and Caleb Jones McCrary’s 19-points-17-rebounds double-double keeping them in contention.

The game opened with Hibernians player Brown wasting no time, sinking a smooth jumper just 11 seconds into play.

Wolfe followed up with a second-chance effort, giving Hibernians an early 4-0 lead.

Luxol soon responded, as Xuereb hit a three-pointer to get his team on the board.

Yet, Hibernians pressed on, with Ivan Demcesen capitalising on a turnover for a tip-in layup, while Gouder’s jumper pushed their advantage to 11-3.

Luxol’s Xuereb fired back with another three-pointer, while Howard and Vukasin Jandric kept the scoreboard ticking, bringing Luxol to a narrow 25-24 lead at the quarter’s end, capped by Jandric’s last-second three.

In the second quarter, both teams continued to trade the lead in a fast-paced, back-and-forth exchange.

Brown and Wolfe scored key baskets in the paint, giving the Paolites a slight edge.

Luxol’s Howard kept up the pace with a mix of layups and a fade-away jumper, pushing his team to a 32-28 lead.

Hibernians, however, took advantage of turnovers, with Demcesen and Gouder converting shots to regain a five-point edge at 39-34.

But Luxol’s Howard proved relentless, responding with successive drives and free throws to keep the deficit in check.

By half-time, Luxol had managed to pull ahead, 52-47, after a scoring surge led by Howard’s reliable shooting.

The third quarter saw Luxol attempt to build on their momentum. Howard and Xuereb led the charge, with Howard driving to the basket on consecutive fast breaks.

In spite of this, Brown was on top of his form, hitting a crucial three-pointer and capitalising on free throws to keep Hibernians within striking distance.

Wolfe’s timely tip-ins and Gouder’s shooting allowed Hibernians to close the gap to 70-68 by the end of the quarter, setting the stage for a thrilling finale.

As the fourth quarter began, Brown ignited the Hibernians’ offence with a three-pointer off a fast break, reclaiming the lead.

Luxol’s Xuereb responded with a floater in the paint, but Brown’s aggressive drives and Demcesen’s second-chance layups kept Hibernians in control.

Demcesen and Gouder controlled the paint effectively, extending the lead to six points with just over four minutes to play. Luxol’s Jandric made a late push with a three-pointer, trimming the deficit, but Hibernians held firm.

In the closing minutes, Brown’s fastbreak layups and constant pressure widened the gap, while Demcesen delivered crucial free throws to seal the victory.

Despite Luxol’s valiant comeback efforts, Hibernians’ balanced attack and resilience proved too strong, as they captured the John Tabone Shield.

HIBERNIANS N. Cassar, T. Wolfe 21, D. Brown 36, P. Attard, A. Axiaq, M. Gouder 20, M. Attard 5, M. Mallia, I. Demcesen 12, S. Simic.

LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES D. Howard 25, I. Azzopardi, V. Jandric 16, N. Xuereb 20, N. Bukva 2, C. Jones McCrary 19, S. Cappello 4.

Referees B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.