A weekend of high-intensity basketball saw Hibernians reaffirm their dominance at the top of the BOV Division One standings, while Starlites JSD bounced back from a tough defeat with an emphatic victory against Valletta Lions.
SiGMA Depiro also made a statement with a surprise win over Luxol Sherries Estates, shaking up the mid-table battle.
VALLETTA LIONS 76
STARLITES JSD 94
(23-23, 13-27, 17-20, 23-24)
Starlites wasted no time asserting their dominance, racing to an 11-5 lead early in the game. Trevon Reddish-Rhone opened the scoring with a floater, while Max Curran added a three-pointer to set the tone. Myles Carter attempted to steady the Citizens with a layup and free throw, but Starlites’ relentless pace saw them maintain control. Ian Felice Pace and Chris Paul capitalised on Valletta’s turnovers, and despite Eric Terry’s strong shooting performance, the Malta title holders closed the first quarter ahead 23-22.
Valletta briefly took the lead in the second quarter through Terry’s put-back and free throw, but Starlites responded with a decisive run.
Curran’s mid-range shooting and Matthew Scerri’s three-pointer fuelled an offensive burst, while Reddish-Rhone’s scoring surge extended the lead into double digits. Nikola Vasovic’s outside shooting relieved Valletta, but Starlites’ transition offence kept them in command, entering halftime with a 50-36 lead.
The third quarter saw Valletta attempt to rally, with Carter and Piotr Stelmach working to close the gap. However, Scerri’s outside shooting and Reddish-Rhone’s dominance inside nullified any comeback efforts. Starlites continued to exploit Valletta’s turnovers, pushing their lead to 70-53 at the end of the period.
The final quarter saw Starlites maintain control, with Reddish-Rhone and Paul extending the advantage. Despite Carter’s late surge, Starlites sealed a well-earned victory.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech, F. Mifsud Bonnici 2, M. Carter 31, P. Stelmach 10, S. Hamparsoumian 3, N. Vasovic 12, S. Vincic, E. Terry 18.
STARLITES JSD: M. Curran 17, K. Fabri 2, I. Felice Pace 7, M. Fabri 3, L. Riolo 2, M. Scerri 16, C. Paul 12, K. Xuereb 5, N. Sultana, T. Reddish-Rhone 30.
Referees: B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, N. Azzopardi.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 75
SIGMA DEPIRO 84
(8-27, 25-13, 21-23, 21-21)
Depiro delivered one of the surprises of the season, toppling second-placed Luxol with an inspired performance.
Cameron Cornelius set the tone early, sinking a driving layup and a three-pointer to establish a 5-0 lead. Sean Galea added to the tally with a deep three-pointer, while Nikola Bozovic and Brandon Porter converted inside opportunities.
Luxol struggled to find their rhythm early, and by the midway point of the first quarter, Depiro had stormed to a 14-0 lead. Caleb Jones-McCrary finally broke the drought with a dunk, but Porter’s relentless finishing kept Depiro in firm control, leading 27-8 at the end of the period.
New Luxol recruit Nikola Djakovic’s three-pointer to start the second quarter gave the Violets some much-needed momentum, but Depiro’s defence continued to disrupt their offence. Porter remained unstoppable in the paint, scoring at will and converting from the free-throw line. Adam Azzopardi and Djakovic hit timely shots to close the gap, and by halftime, Luxol had managed to reduce the deficit to 40-33.
Luxol continued their surge in the third quarter, with Jones-McCrary scoring inside and Nathan Xuereb draining a three-pointer to bring them within two points.
Azzopardi’s free throws levelled the game at 40-40, but Depiro quickly responded. Miguel Brincat’s three-pointer reignited Depiro’s attack, while Porter and Bozovic capitalised on second-chance opportunities. Luxol’s defence struggled to contain Depiro’s offensive rebounding, and by the end of the third, Depiro had re-established a 63-54 lead.
Depiro controlled the final period, with Porter continuing to impose himself in the paint. David Bugeja added a step-back jumper, while Brincat’s three-pointer kept Luxol at bay. Howard and Xuereb attempted to mount a comeback, but Depiro’s free-throw accuracy secured the win.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES: D. Howard 23, A. Azzopardi 13, V. Jandric, JP Schembri 1, N. Xuereb 16, N. Bukva, C. Jones McCrary 8, M. Matijevic, S. Cappello, N. Djakovic 14.
SIGMA DEPIRO: S. Galea 5, D. Bugeja 4, N. Bozovic 14, L. Stefanovic, B. Porter 42, M. Brincat 9, C. Cornelius 10.
Referees: F. Ciurariu, N. Rincon, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.
ATOZ ATHLETA 79
HIBERNIANS 104
(17-30, 13-18, 23-37, 26-19)
Hibernians reaffirmed their place at the top of the standings with a commanding win over Athleta, showcasing their depth and efficiency on both ends of the court.
Ivan Demcesen set the tone with an early floater before adding a second-chance layup. Caleb Matthews responded with a three-pointer, but Matthew Attard’s shooting restored Hibernians’ lead. Kurt James and Matthews kept Athleta competitive early on, but the Paolites’ transition play proved decisive. Tedrick Wolfe’s back-to-back dunks and Brown’s three-pointer widened the gap, with Hibernians closing the first quarter 30-17 ahead.
Athleta attempted to cut into the deficit in the second quarter, with Juan Cefai Garcia and Matthews finding early baskets.
However, Neil Cassar’s second-chance layups reignited Hibernians’ offence. Brown and Wolfe continued their dominant display in the paint, pushing the lead further. James connected on mid-range shots, but another flurry from Hibernians, capped by a late three-pointer from Cefai, saw them take a 48-30 lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw the Christian Narciso-led Hibernians accelerate their dominance, as Demcesen and Brown extended the lead beyond 20 points.
Wolfe remained a constant presence in transition, finishing plays at the rim, while Gouder and Brown added to Athleta’s struggles. James and Matthews continued to battle for Athleta, but each basket was met with an immediate Hibernians response. By the end of the quarter, Athleta trailed 85-53, with little hope of a comeback.
The final quarter was a mere formality, with Hibernians managing the game and closing it out with further contributions from Cassar, Gouder, and Teodor Gjurovski. Athleta attempted a late push through James and Matthews, but Cassar’s three-pointer sealed the win.
ATOZ ATHLETA: K. Fabri, R. Vitale, A. Garzia, C. Matthews 19, I. Xuereb 4, E. Abela, K. James 21, M. Farrugia 2, A. Bozanic 8, L. Borg 6, J. Cefai Garcia 6, M. Amoafo 13.
HIBERNIANS:N. Cassar 13, T. Wolfe 22, D. Brown 19, P. Attard 2, L. Attard, L. Farrugia 5, A. Axiaq 5, M. Gouder 10, M. Attard 10, T. Gjurovski 2, I. Demcesen 16, S. Simic.
Referees: Z. Dobrosaviljevic, F. Ciurariu, N. Azzopardi.
STANDINGS
Hibernians 26; Luxol Sherries Estates 24; Starlites JSD 21; Valletta Lions 20; SiGMA Depiro, AtoZ Athleta 19; Tigers BT 15.
