Tigers BT suffer week of defeats
The BOV Division One returned to the Ta’ Qali Pavilion for another basketball marathon that saw Starlites JSD narrowly edge Hibernians, while Valletta Lions and Luxol Sherries Estates played out a nail-biter that went down to the wire.
Tigers BT faced a commanding AtoZ Athleta side after, earlier in the week, falling to Luxol in Thursday’s clash.
STARLITES JSD 78
HIBERNIANS 85
(18-18, 23-18, 15-19, 22-30)
Hibernians and Starlites brought an intense weekend to a climax with a tightly fought contest that showcased high-level basketball from both the league leaders and the title holders.
Trevon Reddish-Rhone’s remarkable 35-point performance highlighted his importance to Starlites, while Ivan Demcesen and Derek Brown combined for 47 points to lead Hibs to a well-earned win.
The game began with Brown sinking an early three-pointer for Hibernians, providing his team with a quick advantage. Starlites’ Reddish-Rhone quickly made his presence felt, delivering an outstanding performance. Reddish-Rhone’s aggressive drives to the basket and clinical finishing sparked a key run that tied the game at 11-11, setting the stage for a back-and-forth battle.
The Paolites responded with Demcesen dominating inside the paint, scoring on a variety of post moves and second-chance opportunities.
Tedrick Wolfe added to the pressure with his athleticism, contributing valuable points and maintaining Hibs’ edge by halftime. Meanwhile, Starlites relied on the shooting of Ian Felice Pace and the playmaking of Max Curran to stay within striking distance.
The second half saw Reddish-Rhone elevate his performance, scoring from all areas of the court.
However, Hibernians’ balanced attack proved decisive in the closing moments. Demcesen’s crucial baskets in the paint and Brown’s perimeter shooting extended Hibs’ lead. Wolfe’s composure at the free-throw line in the final minutes sealed the victory for Hibernians.
STARLITES JSD: M. Curran 6, A. Aquilina 2, K. Fabri 3, I. Felice Pace 8, M. Scerri 7, C. Paul 12, K. Xuereb 5, K. Mortensen, T. Reddish-Rhone 35.
HIBERNIANS: N. Cassar 4, T. Wolfe 19, D. Brown 23, P. Attard, L. Farrugia, A. Axiaq, M. Gouder 4, M. Attard 9, M. Mallia 2, I. Demcesen 24, S. Simic.
Referees: G. Barbara, N. Azzopardi, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.
VALLETTA LIONS 84
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 85
(15-16, 21-20, 26-21, 22-28)
Valletta and Luxol engaged in a thrilling encounter marked by multiple lead changes and eventually just a one-point margin to separate the two sides at the final buzzer.
Myles Carter was the star for Valletta, delivering a game-high 32 points and stepping up in critical moments. Carter’s dynamic scoring was complemented by Piotr Stelmach’s versatile play and Nikola Vasovic’s sharp shooting. Luxol relied on Darron Howard Caleb Jones-McCrary and Nathan Xuereb’s sharpshooting to stay competitive.
The first quarter saw Valletta’s Stelmach open the scoring with a three-pointer, setting the tone for a competitive game. Carter followed with a series of jump shots and fast-break layups, giving the Citizens an early edge.
However, Luxol’s Howard responded with back-to-back three-pointers, and Jones-McCrary’s strong presence inside helped Luxol finish the quarter narrowly ahead at 16-15.
The second quarter showcased Valletta’s resilience, as Carter and Eric Terry combined to score in the paint, bringing their team back into the game. Stelmach added key baskets, including a driving layup off a turnover, to keep the pressure on Luxol.
Howard and Nenad Bukva stepped up for Luxol, with Bukva connecting from beyond the arc and Howard converting fast-break opportunities. The teams continued to exchange baskets, and Terry’s late tip-in tied the game at 36-36 heading into halftime.
In the third quarter, Valletta began to gain momentum. Vasovic’s sharp shooting from the perimeter and Carter’s relentless drives to the basket helped the Capital club build a small lead.
Luxol’s Jones-McCrary answered with a series of inside plays, including a tip-in dunk that kept the score close. Serge Hamparsoumian, in his debut for the Lions, contributed with a fadeaway jumper and a crucial three-pointer, helping Valletta maintain their advantage. Vasovic’s three free throws at the buzzer gave Valletta a 62-57 lead going into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was an intense affair, with Luxol mounting a strong comeback. Bukva’s three-point shooting and Jones-McCrary’s inside scoring gave Luxol the momentum.
Carter responded with clutch baskets, including a floating jumper and a deep three-pointer that tied the game at 80-80 with less than a minute remaining. However, Luxol’s composure in the closing moments proved decisive.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech, M. Carter 32, P. Stelmach 12, S. Hamparsoumian 7, N. Vasovic 17, S. Vincic 5, E. Terry 11.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES: D. Howard 17, A. Azzopardi 2, V. Jandric 2, P. Engelbert, JP Schembri 3, N. Xuereb 19, N. Bukva 15, C. Jones-McCrary 25, M. Matijevic, S. Cappello 2.
Referees: F. Ciurariu, D. Farrugia, N. Rincon.
TIGERS BT 65
ATOZ ATHLETA 109
(11-21, 20-33, 18-23, 16-32)
Athleta delivered a commanding performance against Tigers BT, showcasing their depth and efficiency across all four quarters.
The first quarter saw Kurt James set the tone early, scoring emphatically with fast-break dunks and second-chance points. Caleb Matthews added a three-pointer that extended Athleta’s lead, while Maxwell Amoafo’s control in the paint ensured Athleta ended the quarter comfortably ahead.
The second quarter featured more dominance from Athleta, with Matthews heating up from beyond the arc. James continued to impose himself offensively, converting on several fast breaks. Amoafo’s presence in the post allowed Athleta to control the boards and extend their advantage. The Tigers struggled to respond, with Kendall Jordan providing their only consistent scoring option. Despite Jordan’s efforts, Athleta’s relentless offence gave them a commanding lead by halftime.
In the third quarter, the Tigers showed flashes of resistance as Jordan knocked down a three-pointer and added a driving layup. However, James, Matthews, and Amoafo continued to find success, with James adding another dunk to cap off the quarter. By the end of the rubber, Athleta’s lead had grown insurmountable.
The fourth quarter was a formality for Athleta, who maintained their intensity despite the large lead. Matthews added another three-pointer, and Amoafo sealed his strong outing with a pair of dunks. Tigers new boy Jordan fought valiantly, scoring on fast breaks and connecting from the free-throw line to finish with 20 points. However, Athleta’s balanced scoring and defensive prowess were too much, as they cruised to victory.
TIGERS BT: D. Pisani 3, A. Attard 2, K. Jordan 20, D. Mitrovic 8, D. Costantino 2, M. Baldacchino 2, A. Varcallo 28, S. Saakian.
ATOZ ATHLETA: K. Fabri 4, A. Garzia, C. Matthews 20, I. Xuereb, K. James 34, M. Farrugia 6, M. Spiteri 8, A. Bozanic 8, L. Borg, J. Cefai Garcia 1, M. Amoafo 24, G. Cassar 4.
Referees: Z. Dobrosaviljevic, F. Ciurariu, B. Vassallo.
Thursday’s Game
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 120
TIGERS BT 66
(37-7, 32-16, 34-20, 17-23)
Earlier in the week, Luxol showcased their firepower against Tigers BT in a game that emphasised their depth ahead of their tie against a much stronger Valletta side on Sunday.
The first quarter saw Howard ignite Luxol’s attack with sharp three-point shooting and fast-break layups. Jones-McCrary added to the momentum with powerful finishes in the paint, helping the Violets establish a double-digit lead.
In the second quarter, Duncan Fenech’s Luxol continued to dictate the pace. Howard remained unstoppable from the perimeter, while Jones-McCrary’s athleticism overwhelmed the Tigers’ defence.
The Tigers’ efforts to counter through new signings Jordan and Albert Varcallo produced sporadic success, but Luxol’s control on both ends of the court kept them firmly ahead by halftime.
The third quarter saw Luxol extend their dominance. Howard and Jones-McCrary combined for a series of scoring runs, while Nenad Bukva and Vukasin Jandric added key baskets. Tigers struggled to keep up, with turnovers leading to easy points for Luxol.
In the fourth quarter, Luxol eased off slightly but maintained their defensive intensity. Jones-McCrary’s post moves and Howard’s perimeter shooting sealed the deal as Luxol cruised to victory.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES: D. Howard 33, E. Caruana Montaldo 3, I. Azzopardi 16, Vukasin Jandric 11, P. Engelbert 8, JP Schembri 2, N. Xuereb 6, N. Bukva 5, C. Jones-McCrary 24, M. Matijevic 6, S. Cappello 6.
TIGERS BT: D. Pisani 8, S. Hamparsoumian 3, K. Jordan 16, K. Micaller 9, D. Mitrovic 4, D. Costantino, M. Baldacchino 6, A. Varcallo 17, S. Saakian 3.
Referees: G. Barbara, F. Ciurariu, N. Azzopardi.
STANDINGS
Hibernians 22; Luxol Sherries Estates 19; Valletta Lions 17; Starlites JSD, AtoZ Athleta 16; SiGMA Depiro 14; Tigers BT 13.
