As local basketball returned to the Ta’ Qali Pavilion, Starlites JSD handed Luxol Sherries Estates their first defeat of the BOV Division One league campaign in a nail-biter on Sunday.
SiGMA Depiro showcased their dominance over AtoZ Athleta, and Valletta Lions’ Piotr Stelmach delivered a career-best performance in a high-scoring affair against Tigers BT. The action began midweek, with Starlites starting off their two-win week after steaming past Valletta.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 71
STARLITES JSD 73
(20-27, 15-20, 20-12, 16-14)
Starlites edged past Luxol in a tense encounter on Sunday, handing coach Duncan Fenech’s side their first defeat of the league campaign.
Luxol started strongly, with Darron Howard and Caleb Jones-McCrary establishing an early lead inside the paint. Starlites responded through Joe Davis and Ian Felice Pace, whose shooting ignited a 12-0 scoring run. Despite Howard and Nathan Xuereb’s efforts to rally Luxol, Davis’ consistent scoring helped Starlites end the first half leading 47-35.
The third quarter saw Luxol stage a spirited comeback, reducing the deficit to one point behind McCrary’s inside dominance and Howard’s long-range shooting.
However, Paul Ferrante’s Starlites remained composed, with Matthew Scerri and Trevon Reddish delivering critical baskets to retain the lead. In a thrilling final quarter, Xuereb’s three-pointers kept Luxol in contention, but Davis’ game-high 34 points sealed the victory for Starlites.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES: D. Howard 15, A. Azzopardi 5, V. Jandric 2, JP Schembri, N. Xuereb 30, N. Bukva, C. Jones McCrary 15, M. Matijevic, S. Cappello.
STARLITES JSD: M. Curran 5, J. Davis 34, A. Aquilina 4, K. Fabri 2, I. Felice Pace 10, M. Fabri, M. Scerri 8, K. Xuereb, T. Reddish-Rhone.
Referees: F. Ciurariu, N. Azzopardi, M. De Flavia.
ATOZ ATHLETA 84
SIGMA DEPIRO 64
(19-22, 15-23, 13-16, 17-23)
Depiro demonstrated their superiority against Athleta, securing a commanding victory behind standout performances from Brandon Porter and Cameron Cornelius as Depiro’s transition offence and suffocating defence dictated the pace throughout.
Cornelius and Miguel Brincat set the tone early, capitalising on turnovers to build a quick lead. Athleta fought back through Maxwell Amoafo, who combined inside scoring with free throws to keep his side within reach. However, Porter’s explosive dunks and fadeaway jumpers pushed Depiro ahead by double digits at halftime, 45-34.
The second half saw Depiro extend their dominance, with Cornelius adding to his tally with mid-range jumpers and layups. Amoafo’s determined efforts were not enough to bridge the gap as Porter continued to pile on the points. Depiro’s relentless pace ensured they remained comfortably ahead, closing out the game in style.
ATOZ ATHLETA: BJ Zammit 2, R. Vitale, M. Amoafo 22, C. Matthews 11, I. Xuereb 4, K. James 18, A. Bozanic, L. Borg, J. Cefai Garcia 3, G. Cassar.
SIGMA DEPIRO: S. Galea 2, D. Bugeja 16, N. Bozovic 6, D. Tomasi 6, B. Porter 24, M. Brincat 8, C. Cornelius 22.
Referees: B. Vassallo, N. Rincon, G. Barbara.
VALLETTA LIONS 139
TIGERS BT 118
(23-22, 43-30, 34-39, 39-27)
Valletta produced a dominant display against bottom side Tigers BT, powered by a 56-point performance from Piotr Stelmach. Despite being without Eric Terry for the second consecutive game, Valletta’s balanced offence delivered a decisive victory.
The game was competitive early, with Tigers’ Ishmael Lockamy scoring at will, including two early three-pointers. However, Valletta’s offence ignited in the second quarter. Nikola Vasovic capitalised on turnovers for transition layups, while Stelmach showcased his all-around game, scoring both inside and from beyond the arc. By halftime, Valletta had built a commanding 66-52 lead.
The second half belonged to Stelmach, who continued his scoring barrage with a mix of long-range shooting and second-chance points. Vasovic finished with 37 points, thriving in fast-break situations, while Tigers’ Serge Hamparsoumian impressed with a game-high 39 points. Despite their efforts, Valletta’s overwhelming firepower proved too much.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech 13, F. Mifsud Bonnici 10, P. Stelmach 56, A. Attard 3, J. Camilleri 2, N. Vasovic 37, S. Vincic 18.
TIGERS BT: S. Hamparsoumian 39, I. Lockamy 21, M. Jalkh 7, R. Petriashvili 18, M. Grubaric 14, S. Saakian 19.
Referees: F. Ciurariu, N. Rincon, B. Vassallo/
STARLITES JSD 95
VALLETTA LIONS 58
(27-17, 28-7, 27-13, 26-21)
Starlites opened the week with a dominant performance against Valletta, securing a decisive victory. Despite a spirited effort from Nikola Vasovic who led the team with 27 points, Starlites set the tone for their strong week with a balanced and relentless offensive display.
Valletta started the game competitively, with Stelmach keeping them in contention through his scoring inside and out. However, Starlites seized control with a commanding 14-0 run in the second quarter, driven by Reddish-Rhone’s athleticism and Davis’ scoring bursts. Valletta struggled to recover from this momentum shift and trailed by double digits at halftime.
The second half saw Starlites maintain their dominance, with Reddish-Rhone continuing to impress and Davis punishing Valletta with his precision from deep. Despite Francesco Mifsud Bonnici’s playmaking heroics, Starlites’ cohesive offence and defensive discipline proved too much. The win set the stage for a successful weekend as Starlites firmly established themselves as a title contender.
STARLITES JSD: M. Curran 17, A. Aquilina 2, K. Fabri 4, I. Felice Pace 5, M. Fabri 5, J. Davis 24, M. Scerri 8, L. Farrugia 5, K. Xuereb 4, N. Sultana, T. Reddish-Rhone 24, K. Mortensen 10.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech 5, F. Mifsud Bonnici 2, P. Stelmach 18, A. Attard, D. Schembri, J. Camilleri 2, N. Vasovic 27, S. Vincic 4.
STANDINGS
Hibernians* 14; Starlites JSD 11; AtoZ Athleta, Valletta Lions 10; Luxol Sherries Estates 9; SiGMA Depiro 8; Tigers BT 7.
*Hibernians did not play last week.
