Starlites got their revenge on Caffe Moak Luxol for their defeat on the final day of the regular season with a solid playoffs opener on Saturday as top seed Betsson Depiro pushed aside fourth seed Hibernians.
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL 63
STARLITES 76
(13-22, 16-17, 21-22, 13-15)
Starlites shocked Luxol in Game One of the postseason, avenging their regular-season defeat just a week earlier. Despite Luxol’s strong start, Starlites seized control and never relinquished their lead, delivering a commanding performance.
Brandy Huffhines opened the scoring with a fast-break three-pointer, giving Luxol an early lead, but Starlites responded swiftly through Michela Zammit Cordina from beyond the arc. Sarah Fenech Pace restored Luxol’s advantage with a second-chance jumper, only for Makaila Napoleon to tie the game at the free-throw line.
Anna Fenech Pace and Michela Zammit Cordina exchanged baskets before Starlites took control with a fadeaway jumper from Christina Curmi and a floating effort in the paint by Zammit Cordina.
Napoleon extended the gap with a jumper, and although Josephine Diaby reduced the deficit from the line, Napoleon’s fast-break free throws and Sasha Lecuyer’s three-pointer widened the gap.
Lecuyer continued her momentum with a fadeaway shot before Sarah Pace hit a late three to keep Luxol in touch. Starlites, however, maintained their control as Lecuyer scored inside and Ylenia Bonett added another in transition for a 22-13 advantage at the first buzzer.
Napoleon’s free throws continued to stretch the lead early in the second quarter, while Philippa Riolo’s tip-in made it a 15-point game.
Sarah Pace’s turnover-forced three briefly lifted the Violets, but Napoleon’s inside work and Zammit Cordina’s free throws kept Starlites firmly ahead. Anna Fenech Pace sparked a Luxol fightback, hitting a pull-up jumper and capitalising on turnovers with back-to-back baskets, cutting the margin to seven.
However, Curmi’s free throws steadied Starlites before Lisa Fenech Pace buried a three-pointer to keep Luxol within six.
Yet, just before half-time, Zammit Cordina struck from deep to give Starlites a 39-29 lead at the interval.
Napoleon resumed her dominance inside with a layup to open the third quarter, but Diaby responded for Luxol. Diaby’s presence at the free-throw line helped chip away at the lead, yet Napoleon continued to find success in the paint.
Lecuyer’s three-pointer pushed Starlites’ advantage back to double digits before Luxol made another push. Anna Fenech Pace drove inside for a layup, followed by a turnover-forced basket from her sister Sarah.
Napoleon and Huffhines then exchanged points at the stripe, with Huffhines’ accuracy closing the gap to seven.
However, Starlites reasserted control as Bonett’s free throws and Zammit Cordina’s three-pointer widened the gap once again.
Bonett added another transition score before Zammit Cordina’s late layup ensured Starlites held a 61-50 lead going into the final rubber.
Lisa Fenech Pace’s early jumper gave Luxol hope, but Lecuyer immediately drained a three in response.
Diaby capitalised on a turnover with a close-range jumper, yet Napoleon’s free throws kept Starlites in control. Zammit Cordina then took over, scoring back-to-back inside baskets, while Napoleon struck from deep to stretch the lead to 18.
Despite Luxol’s efforts through Diaby and Anna Fenech Pace, Napoleon and Zammit Cordina continued to punish them in transition. Bonett and Gwen Carabott scored late for Luxol, but the gap was too large to overcome as Starlites sealed a stunning Game One victory.
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL G. Carabott 3, S. Pace 11, L. Fenech Pace 7, S. Fenech Pace 7, J. Diaby 13, B. Lynn Huffhines 10, V. Baldacchino 3, S. Sciberras, A. Fenech Pace 9.
STARLITES: S. Lecuyer 13, M. Riolo, C. Cilia, P. Riolo 2, M. Zammit Cordina 24, M. Napoleon 27, C. Curmi 4, Y. Bonett 6.
Referees: Z. Dobrosaviljevic, F. Ciurariu, W. Lim.
HIBERNIANS 57
BETSSON DEPIRO 89
(12-25, 13-17, 16-27, 16-20)
Top-seed Depiro delivered a commanding performance, overpowering fourth-seed Hibernians with relentless transition play and clinical execution.
From the outset, Depiro’s Janai Crooms dictated the tempo, scoring a series of fast-break layups that quickly put Hibernians on the back foot.
Steffi De Martino provided early resistance with a driving layup, and Andie Saliba added a free throw, but Crooms’ successive transition baskets, combined with a three-pointer from Julia Borg, saw Depiro open up a six-point advantage.
Hibernians attempted to keep pace with De Martino’s deep shot and a second-chance layup from Claire Ciantar, yet Crooms remained a dominant force in transition.
A fast-break layup and free throws pushed Depiro’s lead to double digits before Nicole Agius capped the quarter with a three-pointer, putting Depiro ahead 25-12.
Depiro continued to assert control in the second quarter. Joselle Borg Cardona opened the scoring with a mid-range jumper, but Kaya Calleja responded inside for Hibernians. Crooms quickly re-established Depiro’s momentum, scoring off a turnover before Ciantar extended the lead with a smooth jumper.
Ashiala Jackson found success in the paint for Hibernians, and De Martino connected from deep to offer hope, but Crooms and Borg kept Depiro comfortably ahead. Kristy Galea’s three-pointer extended the margin further, and despite Jackson’s late free throws, Depiro entered the half with a commanding 42-25 advantage.
Hibernians started the third quarter with a strong push as Saliba hit a floater and Maria Bonett drained a three.
Marie Buhagiar added a transition basket to cut into the deficit, but Depiro quickly responded through Ciantar’s inside work and Galea’s jumper off a turnover. Crooms continued to torment the Hibernians’ defence, while Agius buried another three to restore a 21-point cushion.
Hibernians kept battling, with Saliba scoring on a step-back jumper and Bonett converting inside, yet Crooms closed the quarter with a fast-break layup to give Depiro a 69-41 lead.
The final period saw Depiro maintain their dominance.
Borg Cardona and Borg extended the lead with consecutive jumpers, while Bonett and Jackson fought to reduce the gap for Hibs.
However, Galea and Agius remained sharp, scoring in transition to keep Depiro firmly in control. Dabic and Buhagiar added late baskets for Hibernians, but it was too little, too late.
HIBERNIANS M. Buhagiar 4, E. Cassar, A. Saliba 10, J. Abela 2, M. Bonett 10, S. De Martino 10, K. Calleja 2, A. Jackson 11, J. Dabic 8.
BETSSON DEPIRO: N. Agius 13, J. Mallia 2, L. Sciberras 0, C. Ciantar 7, J. Borg 15, M. Micallef 0, N. Borg 0, K. Galea 11, J. Borg Cardona 7, J. Crooms 34.
Referees: N. Azzopardi, M. De Flavia, N. Da Silva.
