Athleta take mixed bag as Depiro, Starlites cruise to victory
Luxol Sherries Estates completed last week’s BOV Division One double-header in the win column as a strong performance against Athleta brought the team’s morale back up following a midweek defeat to Valletta Lions who shocked the league with wins against the Violets and league leaders Hibernians.
Depiro rounded off the weekend with a dominant display against Tigers BT as Starlites took out Hibs after overtime on Friday.
ATOZ ATHLETA 72
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 92
(13-23, 19-19, 21-26, 19-24)
Luxol responded emphatically to their midweek loss with a decisive victory over Athleta.
Darron Howard spearheaded the attack, delivering a dominant performance with 32 points, while Stefan Cappello and Caleb Jones McCrary controlled the paint.
Athleta struggled to recover after falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter, with Caleb Matthews recording a season-high 33 points in a valiant solo effort.
The game began with Luxol seizing the momentum early, as Howard drained a three-pointer to open the scoring.
Athleta’s Caleb Matthews provided an early response, but Luxol’s transition play and second-chance opportunities proved too much. By halftime, Luxol had extended their lead to double digits, with contributions from Cappello and McCrary bolstering Howard’s brilliance.
In the second half, Athleta showed signs of life as Matthews caught fire, sinking multiple three-pointers and attacking the rim effectively. However, Luxol’s depth and composure allowed them to hold firm, closing the game with a commanding scoreline.
ATOZ ATHLETA: B. Zammit 1, M. Amoafo 9, C. Matthews 33, I. Xuereb 4, K. James 10, L. Borg 11, J. Cefai Garcia 4.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES: D. Howard 32, A. Azzopardi 8, V. Jandric 13, J. Paul Schembri 3, N. Xuereb 4, N. Bukva 5, C. Jones McCrary 12, S. Cappello 15
Referees: F. Ciurariu, G. Barbara, D. Farrugia.
HIBERNIANS 69
VALLETTA LIONS 83
(12-21, 14-21, 22-10, 21-31)
Valletta stunned league leaders Hibernians in a clash that featured standout scoring performances as Piotr Stelmach led Valletta with 25 points, with Nikola Vasovic and Eric Terry adding 24 and 20 points, respectively. For Hibernians, Derek Brown’s 22 points were not enough to prevent a second consecutive defeat.
Hibernians started strong, with Ivan Demcesen asserting himself in the paint. However, Valletta quickly responded through Terry’s inside presence and Stelmach’s outside shooting, building a lead by the end of the first quarter. The second quarter saw Valletta’s balanced attack overwhelm Hibernians, with Vasovic hitting key shots and Terry dominating in transition.
The third quarter witnessed a brief Hibernians resurgence, led by Brown’s scoring and Wolfe’s defensive pressure. They closed the gap to single digits before Valletta reasserted control, with Stelmach and Vasovic finding their rhythm.
The final quarter sealed the result, as Valletta’s scoring depth and defensive solidity ensured victory.
HIBERNIANS: N. Cassar 6, T. Wolfe 8, D. Brown 22, L. Attard 3, L. Farrugia, V. Kustudja, A. Axiaq 6, M. Gouder 5, M. Attard 3, M. Mallia, I. Demcesen 14, S. Simic 2.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech 6, F. Mifsud Bonnici 8, P. Stelmach 25, D. Schembri, N. Vasovic 24, S. Vincic, E. Terry 20.
Referees: B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.
SIGMA DEPIRO 89
TIGERS BT 50
(26-9, 24-11, 14-12, 25-18)
Depiro capped off the weekend with a resounding win over Tigers BT, completing a league double and reaffirming their position in the playoff hunt. Nikola Bozovic starred with 21 points, supported by Brandon Porter and Luca Stefanovic, while Tigers’ Isaac Lockamy delivered a game-high 27 points despite the loss.
Tigers briefly led early in the game, with Serge Hamparsoumian and Kurt Micaller scoring in transition. Depiro then took over, with Bozovic and Stefanovic igniting a dominant first-quarter run that put them ahead by double digits.
By halftime, Depiro had extended their lead to 50-20, with Porter’s athletic finishes and Bozovic’s efficiency shining through.
Lockamy kept fighting for the Tigers in the second half, scoring from long range and attacking the basket, but Depiro’s relentless offence continued to pile on the points. Alessio Trapani and Stefanovic closed the game with strong contributions as Depiro ran away with the victory.
SIGMA DEPIRO: S. Galea 3, N. Bozovic 21, N. Zivkovic 9, L. Stefanovic 14, A. Trapani 6, D. Tomasi 4, B. Porter 14, M. Brincat 10, C. Cornelius 3, M. Debattista 5.
TIGERS BT: D. Pisani 4, S. Hamparsoumian 9, I. Lockamy 27, K. Micaller 3, M. Jalkh 1, S. Saakian 5, D. Militello 1.
Referees: B. Vassallo, N. Azzopardi, F. Ciuariu.
Midweek games
STARLITES JSD 76
HIBERNIANS 73
(16-21, 11-21, 22-15, 22-14, 5-2 OT)
Earlier on in the week, Starlites handed Hibernians their first defeat of the season in a pulsating encounter that went to overtime.
Trailing by 20 points in the third quarter, Starlites capitalised on Hibernians’ 36 turnovers to claw their way back. Trevon Reddish-Rhone was the catalyst for the comeback, scoring consistently in transition and controlling overtime with clutch baskets.
Matthew Scerri’s three-pointer gave Starlites the lead late in regulation, while Hibernians missed their chance to win at the buzzer. In overtime, Reddish-Rhone and Max Curran sealed the victory with timely free throws.
STARLITES JSD M. Curran 10, J. Davis 4, A. Aquilina, K. Fabri 7, I. Felice Pace 8, M. Fabri 2, M. Scerri 19, L. Farrugia, K. Xuereb 2, K. Mortensen 2, T. Reddish 22.
HIBERNIANS: N. Cassar, T. Wolfe 23, D. Brown 16, A. Axiaq 5, M. Gouder 14, M. Attard 3, M. Mallia, I. Demcesen 10, S. Simic 2.
Referees: B. Vassallo, F. Ciuariu, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.
VALLETTA LIONS 84
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 72
(21-23, 17-29, 16-10, 30-10)
Valletta claimed a vital victory over Luxol, strengthening their playoff hopes while handing the Violets their second consecutive loss.
Despite Luxol’s strong start, led by Jones-McCrary and Jandric, Valletta fought back in the second half. Vasovic was the standout, scoring crucial points in the fourth quarter, including an impressive run of free throws to close out the game.
Mifsud Bonnici’s double-double and Stelmach’s dominance in the paint gave Valletta the edge, while Luxol struggled with turnovers late in the game.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech 6, F. Mifsud Bonnici 12, P. Stelmach 20, D. Schembri, N. Vasovic 25, S. Vincic, E. Terry 21.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES: D. Howard 13, A. Azzopardi, V. Jandric 16, JP Schembri, N. Xuereb 17, N. Bukva 4, C. Jones McCrary 18, S. Cappello 4.
TIGERS BT 102
ATOZ ATHLETA 118
(26-26, 20-24, 25-27, 31-41)
Athleta momentarily climbed to fifth place with a commanding win over Tigers on Friday, taking advantage of a defensively weak game from both sides. Israel Lockamy starred for the Tigers with a season-high 51 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Athleta’s balanced offence.
Kurt James led Athleta with 50 points, dominating in the paint and on fast breaks, while Maxwell Amoafo added critical points in the second half to maintain the lead.
Athleta’s ability to capitalise on turnovers in transition proved decisive in a game where both teams traded scoring runs.
TIGERS BT: S. Hamparsoumian 34, I. Lockamy 51, K. Micaller 7, M. Jalkh, D. Costantino 2, S. Saakian 8, D. Militello.
ATOZ ATHLETA B. Zammit 3, C. Matthews 27, K. James 50, M. Farrugia 2, A. Bozanic 2, L. Borg 2, J. Cefai Garcia 8, M. Amoafo 21, G. Cassar 3.
Referees: B. Vassallo, Z. Dobrosaviljevic, F. Ciurariu.
STANDINGS
Hibernians 16; Valletta Lions 14; Starlites JSD, AtoZ Athleta 13; Luxol Sherries Estates 12; SiGMA Depiro 10; Tigers BT 9.
