STARLITES 56
BETSSON DEPIRO 67
(14-16, 10-16, 10-17, 22-18; Depiro win series 3-2)
Betsson Depiro secured the MAPFRE MSV Life Women’s League title on Sunday with a Game Five victory over Starlites in a fiercely contested decider at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion.
This win comes as redemption for the previous season’s woes against Caffe Moak Luxol and a clear indication of the strength of the club’s intentions for the coming years.
It will be a series to remember for the Mtarfa side after an incredible turnaround came close to losing the tie after the first three games, but fought back to win the rest of the series.
On Sunday, Starlites began brightly, opening with a 6-0 run led by Michela Zammit Cordina and Mikela Riolo.
Starlites’ defence looked sharp early on, disrupting Depiro’s rhythm and forcing multiple early turnovers. Sasha Lecuyer and Riolo combined well to keep the tempo high, and Zammit Cordina converted a fast-break layup off a turnover to extend their advantage.
Depiro struggled to respond initially, but a composed finish from Julia Borg Xerri broke the deadlock, sparking a response.
Janai Crooms and Claire Ciantar added important baskets to pull the game level, and by the end of the first quarter, Depiro had edged ahead 16-14 following Ciantar’s strong finish and an and-one.
Momentum swung further in Depiro’s favour in the second rubber.
Crooms asserted herself with successive inside finishes and made trips to the line count.
Borg Xerri continued to capitalise in the paint, and despite Zammit Cordina’s efforts and a brief scoring push from Ylenia Bonett, Starlites struggled to string together stops.
Depiro’s dominance on the offensive glass and Crooms’s physicality were key, with the American scoring off multiple second chances. Depiro closed the half with a 32–24 lead, having outscored Starlites 16-10 in the quarter.
After the break, the momentum remained firmly with Depiro.
Kristy Galea opened the half with a mid-range jumper, and although Christina Curmi briefly interrupted the run with a floater, Crooms and Ciantar combined to stretch the lead to double digits.
Free throws from Galea and Ciantar kept the pressure on, and by the final minute of the quarter, Depiro led by as many as sixteen.
Lecuyer managed a late triple to offer Starlites some hope, but a strong layup from Neve Borg ensured Depiro maintained a 49-34 cushion heading into the fourth.
Any hopes of a Starlites comeback were quickly dashed as Julian Naudi’s Depiro scored the first two baskets of the final quarter through Joselle Borg Cardona and Galea.
Though Makaila Napoleon answered with a three-pointer and converted a series of free throws to reduce the margin, Starlites were unable to make a sustained run.
Every small rally was met with a quick Depiro reply – Borg Xerri completed a three-point play and added another inside finish, while Nicole Agius and Crooms maintained the scoring balance.
Late triples from Lecuyer and Curmi sparked one last attempt at a turnaround, trimming the deficit to single digits with under a minute remaining.
However, Crooms calmly added her twentieth point from the line and Borg sealed it with two more free throws, bringing a composed end to a title-clinching performance.
The bench stormed the Ta’ Qali court at the final buzzer as celebrations began for Depiro who emerged as the new Malta women’s champions amid celebrations from a numerous crowd. Freescoring Crooms was then handed the Most Valuable Player award before captain Claire Ciantar lifted the winners’ trophy.
STARLITES: S. Lecuyer 16, M. Riolo 5, C. Cilia, P. Riolo, M. Zammit Cordina 11, M. Fenech, M. Napoleon 13, Y. Bonett 4, C. Curmi 7.
BETSSON DEPIRO: N. Agius 7, J. Borg Xerri 15, L. Sciberras, C. Ciantar 9, J. Borg 4, N. Borg 2, K. Galea 8, J. Borg Cardona 2, J. Crooms 20.
Referees: B. Vassallo, Z. Dobrosaviljevic, F. Ciurariu.
