After a week of controversy surrounding the Knockout final, the BOV Division One Playoffs pairings were confirmed after most of the teams played their final regular season matchup at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion.
Hibernians cemented their top spot and will be facing SiGMA Depiro in the postseason after the Mtarfa side rallied past Valletta Lions to take the final playoff berth. Meanwhile, Starlites JSD and Luxol Sherries Estates take each other on in the other tie as the second and third seed.
SIGMA DEPIRO 69
VALLETTA LIONS 62
(12-12, 23-18, 13-15, 21-17)
Depiro secured their place in the playoffs with a hard-fought victory over Valletta, overcoming a determined challenge in a contest that reflected the stakes at hand. Playing without head coach Harry Savaya, Valletta remained competitive, but Depiro’s key players delivered in crucial moments.
Julio Guity, making his debut for Sasa Dimitrijevic’s side, opened the scoring for Depiro, but Eric Terry and Nikola Vasovic kept Valletta in the contest. Vasovic’s fast-break three-pointer briefly gave Valletta the edge, though David Bugeja’s free throws and Brandon Porter’s putback ensured Depiro stayed close. Guity’s tip-in at the buzzer left the teams tied at 12-12 after the first quarter.
Sean Galea put Depiro ahead early in the second rubber, only for Francesco Mifsud Bonnici’s three-pointer to shift momentum. Porter remained a force in the paint, while Guity’s floater and Luca Stefanovic’s three-pointer kept Depiro ahead. Valletta’s Vasovic and Piotr Stelmach responded from the line, but Bugeja’s driving layup and Porter’s emphatic dunk extended Depiro’s lead to 35-30 at halftime.
Depiro’s defensive intensity forced Valletta turnovers in the third quarter, leading to transition baskets from Bugeja, Nikola Bozovic, and Miguel Brincat. Valletta fought back, with Stelmach stringing together key baskets to trim the deficit to 48-45 entering the final period.
Porter dominated the closing stages, opening with a layup and a three-pointer to push Depiro’s lead to nine. Mifsud Bonnici hit a three, but Porter responded with a dunk. Stelmach kept Valletta in contention, but Bugeja’s fadeaway jumper and clutch free throws sealed the win, with Cameron Cornelius confirming Depiro’s playoff berth at the line.
SIGMA DEPIRO: D. Bugeja 13, N. Bozovic 4, L. Stefanovic 3, B. Porter 22, M. Brincat 7, C. Cornelius 11, J. Guity 7.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech 4, F. Bonnici 11, P. Stelmach 21, S. Hamparsoumian 3, N. Vasovic 16, S. Vincic, E. Terry 7.
Referees: B. Vassallo, M. De Flavia, F. Ciurariu.
HIBERNIANS 89
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 77
(18-12, 19-25, 17-21, 35-19)
Hibernians secured the top seed in the regular season with a commanding victory over Luxol, setting aside the recent Knock-Out final controversy. Despite missing import guard Derek Brown due to a one-year ban, the Paolites dictated the pace and pulled away in the closing stages.
Luxol started aggressively, with Darron Howard and Caleb Jones McCrary providing early baskets, but Tedrick Wolfe and Matthew Gouder combined to give Hibernians control.
Wolfe’s efficiency from the line, along with Ivan Demcesen’s inside presence, helped Hibernians build an 18-7 lead before the Violets trimmed the gap through Jones McCrary and Howard late in the first quarter.
Luxol carried their momentum into the second period, with Nathan Xuereb knocking down consecutive three-pointers to level the game.
Howard’s layup off a turnover and JP Schembri’s three-pointer capped an 11-2 Luxol run. Hibernians responded through Miguel Mallia’s deep shot and Wolfe’s aggressive play inside, tying the game before his fast-break layup gave Hibernians a narrow 37-35 halftime lead.
Howard’s three-pointer early in the third quarter swung momentum to Luxol, and Jones McCrary’s transition play helped them push ahead.
Howard’s back-to-back threes extended Luxol’s lead to nine, but Wolfe’s thunderous dunk sparked a Hibernians fightback. Luke Farrugia’s three-pointer brought them within four entering the final quarter.
Hibs dominated the closing rubber. Demcesen and Wolfe cut the deficit before Wolfe’s fast-break layup put Hibernians ahead for the first time in the second half.
Gouder and Demcesen led the charge as the Paolites surged clear, with Attard’s three-pointer sealing a seven-point cushion. Luxol’s late efforts, including another Howard three, proved insufficient as Hibernians closed out the game from the line to secure a decisive victory and the top seed.
HIBERNIANS: N. Cassar 2, T. Wolfe 31, L. Farrugia 5, V. Kustudja, A. Axiaq 2, M. Gouder 15, M. Attard 9, T. Gjurovski, M. Mallia 5, I. Demcesen 20, S. Simic.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES: D. Howard 31, A. Azzopardi 2, V. Jandric, J. Schembri 3, N. Xuereb 8, N. Bukva 3, C. McCrary 22, M. Matijevic, S. Cappello 2, N. Djakovic 6.
Referees: F. Ciurariu, N. Rincon, M. De Flavia.
STARLITES JSD 110
TIGERS BT 48
(25-2, 29-20, 32-17, 24-9)
Starlites secured second place in the regular season standings with a dominant victory over Tigers BT, who ended their campaign without a single win.
Despite head coach Paul Ferrante’s absence due to month-long suspension following incidents that took place during the Knock-Out final, Starlites controlled the game from start to finish, putting it beyond doubt in the early stages.
Miguel Fabri set the tone with successive fast-break layups before adding two more off turnovers to establish an 8-0 lead. His scoring spree continued with a three-pointer, while Chris Paul extended the margin in transition.
Tigers finally got on the board through Keith Micaller, but Starlites responded immediately. Ian Felice Pace’s turnaround jumper and Paul’s putback pushed the lead to 18 before Kai Fabri’s three-pointer capped a dominant 25-2 first quarter.
Felice Pace and Kai Fabri opened the second quarter with back-to-back three-pointers as Starlites’ relentless pressure forced Tigers into turnovers. Luca Riolo drilled consecutive threes in transition before driving inside for another basket.
Despite Micaller’s efforts, Paul’s tip-in and putback baskets from Matthew Scerri and Miguel Fabri extended the gap. Jhun Jhun Lisondra’s free throws and a three-pointer relieved the Tigers, but Starlites surged to a 54-22 halftime lead.
The Tigers found some rhythm after the break through Matthew Farrugia and Lisondra, yet Starlites quickly reasserted control. Andrew Aquilina hit a three, while Miguel Fabri, Riolo, and Kai Fabri continued to punish Tigers’ mistakes. By the third quarter’s end, Starlites led 86-39.
The final period followed the same pattern. Miguel Fabri added another three-pointer, while Aquilina and Aleksander Sultana converted in transition. Tigers managed sporadic baskets, but Starlites’ superiority remained clear, with Kai Fabri and Aquilina sinking late threes to seal a comprehensive win and confirm their second-place finish.
STARLITES JSD: A. Aquilina 14, K. Fabri 16, I. Pace 7, M. Fabri 30, L. Riolo 13, M. Scerri 2, C. Paul 17, K. Xuereb, N. Sultana 5.
TIGERS BT: A. Sultana 6, D. Pisani 2, M. Farrugia 4, A. Attard 2, K. Micaller 17, D. Costantino 2, J. Lisondra 17, M. Baldacchino, D. Militello 4.
Referees: B. Vassallo, W. Lim, N. Rincon.
STANDINGS
Hibernians 34, Starlites JSD, Luxol Sherries Estates 30, SiGMA Depiro, Valletta Lions 26, AtoZ Athleta 22, Tigers BT 18.
