BETSSON DEPIRO 62
STARLITES 67
(12-14, 11-15, 19-16, 16-13, 4-9)
Starlites produced a gritty performance to level the MAPFRE MSV Life Women’s Finals at one game apiece, edging out Depiro on Sunday in a tense overtime contest at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion that turned the series on its head.
Depiro had taken the opening game with authority, but the tone shifted early in Game 2. Claire Ciantar opened the scoring with a mid-range jumper before Mikela Riolo responded on a second-chance opportunity.
Depiro briefly reclaimed the lead through Joselle Borg Cardona and Janai Crooms, with the latter’s second-chance layup showcasing her dominance under the rim. Julia Borg added another interior finish to stretch the gap.
But Makaila Napoleon sparked Starlites into life. The guard fired in a triple off a turnover, followed by two composed finishes in the paint and a free throw to turn a six-point deficit into a two-point lead.
Nicole Agius momentarily drew Depiro level, only for Philippa Riolo and Sasha Lecuyer to score on consecutive possessions, helping Starlites to a narrow 14–12 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
Napoleon’s offensive rhythm continued into the second, as she knocked down a pull-up jumper in transition and added a pair of free throws.
Michela Zammit Cordina also made her presence felt with a jumper in the lane. Depiro responded through Crooms and Ciantar on the fast break, while Borg and Agius found success inside, keeping the game within reach.
Starlites, however, closed the half strongly. Lecuyer drained a three-pointer after a turnover, and Napoleon added four more from the stripe before drilling another mid-range shot to give her team a 29-23 lead at the interval.
The third quarter saw the tempo quicken. Crooms scored with a smooth floater, and Borg added points from the line before Zammit Cordina hit a key three-pointer to keep Depiro at bay.
Borg fought back with a series of well-timed finishes – a floating jumper, a step-back in the lane, and another inside shot – continuing her efficient night.
Yet Starlites were back on the front foot soon after. Lecuyer dropped her second and third three-pointers of the night, and Ylenia Bonett added a layup off a turnover to restore a double-digit lead.
A late surge by Depiro reignited the contest.
Borg Cardona connected from mid-range, and Julia Borg Xerri turned defence into offence with a coast-to-coast layup.
After a turnover, Kristy Galea nailed a triple to close the gap to three. Crooms added a fast-break finish to make it a one-point game. Bonett’s free throws helped Starlites hold a narrow 45–42 lead heading into the final quarter.
Depiro clawed their way back again, with Galea hitting from the line and Crooms converting a driving layup to put her side ahead.
Philippa Riolo restored the Starlites lead, but the margin remained razor-thin. Lecuyer and Napoleon made crucial baskets, while Borg chipped away from the stripe.
With two minutes to play, Borg sank a three-pointer to bring Depiro within two, and moments later, Galea drove to the rim for a tying layup.
The final minute was a dramatic exchange of blows. Napoleon nailed a clutch three-pointer, only for Crooms to calmly hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 58.
With both teams trading baskets and misses in the dying seconds, overtime was inevitable.
In the extra rubber, Napoleon again opened scoring with a layup. Borg added a pair from the line, but Mikela Riolo struck back with a crucial three-pointer to give Starlites a narrow lead.
Borg responded once more with a driving finish, but Bonett made the decisive difference. The Starlites forward sank a layup and a pair of free throws in the final 16 seconds to close the game out.
BETSSON DEPIRO: N. Agius 6, J. Borg Xerri 3, L. Sciberras, C. Ciantar 6, J. Borg 20, N. Borg, K. Galea 7, J. Borg Cardona 4, J. Crooms 16.
STARLITES: S. Lecuyer 13, M. Riolo 7, P. Riolo 5, M. Zammit Cordina 8, M. Fenech 2, M. Napoleon 24, C. Curmi, Y. Bonett 8.
Referees: Z. Dobrosaviljevic, N. Rincon, N. Da Silva.
