A week after the John Tabone Shield final, BOV Division One sides were back in action for their first league game of the new campaign. It was victory for Starlites Revive, The Plaza Depiro, and Hibernians on Sunday as the first points were tallied onto the regular season standings.
STARLITES REVIVE 88
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES 75
(22-15, 28-12, 22-22, 16-26)
Starlites outclassed Luxol Sherries Estates in a commanding display built on pace, teamwork, and defensive sharpness.
Despite a modest 39% total field-goal percentage, Starlites’ precision in transition and ball sharing set them apart, registering 22 assists and 18 steals.
Travis Fee, Musa Jallow, Jayden Iturmendi, and Jackson Threadgill all reached double figures, underlining the side’s balanced attack.
Luxol’s Burke Smith and Jayden Johnson each posted 23 points, but their 16% accuracy from deep limited any sustained momentum.
The Violets did edge the rebounding count 49-46, yet Starlites’ intensity on both ends proved decisive long before the final buzzer.
Starlites seized control from the outset through assertive play.
Alec Felice Pace opened the scoring with a driving layup before Threadgill and Iturmendi struck from distance to spark an early surge.
Fastbreaks and disciplined defence pushed the Naxxar side ahead 22–15 by the end of the first quarter.
The second rubber saw the gap widen dramatically. Jallow’s energy off turnovers produced a series of transition scores, including a three-ball and a dunk, while Fee and Threadgill combined efficiently on the break.
With Iturmendi orchestrating from the perimeter, Starlites hit a rhythm few local sides can match, racing to a 50–27 halftime advantage.
Meanwhile, Luxol’s offence remained sporadic, limited largely to trips to the line and a lone three-pointer from Adam Azzopardi.
Momentum carried through the third quarter as Starlites’ athleticism overwhelmed Luxol’s defence. Jallow’s second-chance points and Threadgill’s mid-range accuracy stretched the margin to 29, their largest of the afternoon.
Luxol fought back through Smith’s persistence inside and Johnson’s perimeter efforts, but with turnovers piling up, their rally fell flat. Starlites entered the final rubber comfortably ahead at 72-49, the result was already beyond much doubt.
Luxol, however, refused to fold. Smith asserted himself in the paint while Johnson continued to punish defensive lapses.
The pair spearheaded a spirited fourth-quarter charge that trimmed the deficit to thirteen, showcasing Luxol’s resilience.
Yet every attempted comeback met a Starlites reply – Fee’s late three-pointer and Threadgill’s dunk restoring the cushion and closing out a comprehensive victory.
STARLITES REVIVE A. Felice Pace 2, K. Fabri 1, T. Fee 16, A. Aquilina, G. Camilleri, I. Felice Pace 7, M. Fabri 5, Z. Said Hollier, M. Scerri 5, J. Iturmendi 16, J. Threadgill 25, M. Jallow 11.
LUXOL SHERRIES ESTATES A. Azzopardi 12, I. Azzopardi 3, C. James, N. Xuereb 6, J. Johnson 23, M. Brincat 3, D. Tomasi 5, B. Smith 23, S. Cappello.
Referees B. Vassallo, N. Rincon, M. De Flavia.
VALLETTA DREAM 71
THE PLAZA DEPIRO 77
(16-22, 9-13, 18-21, 28-21)
Depiro earned their first win of the season with a win over Valletta Dream, fuelled by balanced offence and superior rebounding.
Though Valletta shot a better percentage from the field and from long range, Depiro’s 46 boards and 20 assists tilted the balance.
Captain Eugene Campbell led Valletta with 25 points, while Francesco Mifsud Bonnici and Kieron Caruana provided steady support with 13 and 11, respectively.
Depiro fielded their new signing last weekend, re-introducing Trevon Reddish Rhone, initially brought to Malta by Starlites last season.
However, it was the trio of Javier Turner, Nikola Bozovic, and Cameron Cornelius who combined for 51 points, establishing control early and maintaining composure when the Citizens rallied late on.
Depiro started brightly, with Bozovic and Cornelius combining to build an early advantage after JP Schembri opened with a three-pointer. Campbell and Mifsud Bonnici tried to keep Valletta close, but Turner’s dominance inside pushed Depiro to a 22–16 lead by the end of the opening quarter.
The second rubber followed a similar pattern as the Mtarfa side kept control.
Turner’s smooth finishing and Bozovic’s scoring touch extended the margin to double digits, while Valletta found rhythm only in brief spells through a Camillo Panaloza triple, Campbell’s mid-range game and Vasovic’s late basket as Depiro led 35–25 at halftime.
After the change of ends, Valletta fought to narrow the gap, with Tyler Murray and Caruana finding their range. Yet Depiro’s response was immediate – Turner’s athleticism around the rim and Cornelius’s drives restored momentum, while Reddish Rhone provided energy off the bench. Valletta’s three-point shooting, highlighted by Nicholas Grech’s sharp scoring burst, trimmed the deficit to single digits, but a series of quick transition baskets put Depiro ahead 56–43 entering the final frame.
Valletta’s resilience surfaced in the fourth quarter. Campbell led a determined charge, scoring from all angles to bring the deficit down to six, while Murray’s perimeter shooting reignited belief. However, each Valletta push was met with a Depiro answer – Cornelius’ strength inside and Sean Galea’s three-pointer halted the momentum. Despite Campbell’s 25-point effort, Valletta’s comeback fell short as time expired.
VALLETTA DREAM N. Grech 5, N. Vasovic 2, F. Mifsud Bonnici 13, K. Caruana 11, E. Campbell 25, T. Murray 10, J. Lisondra, C. Panaloza 3, M. Rieger 2.
THE PLAZA DEPIRO S. Galea 10, T. Reddish Rhone 8, N. Zivkovic, L. Stefanovic 2, J. P. Schembri 6, A. Trapani, J. Turner 19, C. Cornelius 15, N. Bozovic 17.
Referees F. Ciurariu, W. Lim, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.
ATHLETA ATOZ 72
HIBERNIANS 82
(17-21, 22-30, 20-15, 13-16)
Hibernians overcame Athleta AtoZ in a balanced and competitive encounter.
Shooting an impressive 55% from the field, Hibs relied on a collective effort, with five players reaching double figures.
Athleta’s dynamic duo, Duane Goodman and Wesley Jordan, each finished with 27 points, keeping their side within touching distance throughout. Despite Hibernians’ low free-throw percentage, their consistent execution inside the paint sealed a well-deserved victory.
The game began in a free-flowing manner, with both sides exchanging early baskets. Elijah Simmons set the tone for the Paola side with consecutive drives, while Robert Vitale and Goodman responded for Athleta.
The hosts trailed narrowly at 17-21 after the first quarter, as Hibernians found success through inside scoring from Piotr Stelmach and Ivan Demcesen.
In the second rubber, Hibs expanded their lead through precise ball movement and accuracy. Neil Cassar’s three-pointer and Deonte Jackson’s confident shooting pushed the margin into double digits, while Simmons and Ayomide Ajiboye continued to exploit defensive gaps.
Athleta, led by Jordan’s energy in transition, fought to stay competitive, yet Hibernians’ offence consistently provided answers. By halftime, the Malta title holders led 51-39.
Athleta rallied in the third quarter behind Goodman’s relentless scoring. Combining post moves with perimeter touch, he trimmed the gap to single digits, supported by Jordan’s inside presence and Marcus Duffy’s work at the line. The Paolites, however, maintained control through timely scores from Simmons and Stelmach, heading into the final stretch with a 66–59 cushion.
Early in the fourth, Jordan’s layup and Goodman’s jumper brought Athleta within three, igniting the possibility of a comeback.
Yet Hibernians responded with the prowess as Stelmach’s three-pointer and Ajiboye’s back-to-back drives re-established control. Cassar’s steady mid-range shooting and Jackson’s clutch triple extended the lead once more, ending any hopes of an Athleta upset.
ATHLETA ATOZ K. Fabri, M. Duffy 6, S. Ebelashvili, R. Vitale 6, I. Bonett 2, D. Goodman 27, A. Bozanic, I. Medved 4, L. Borg, W. Jordan 27, J. Cefai.
HIBERNIANS N. Cassar 13, E. Simmons 16, A. Ajiboye 10, L. Attard, P. Stelmach 15, V. Kustudja, M. Gouder, D. Jackson 15, M. Attard 4, N. Buttigieg 1, T. Gjurovski, I. Demcesen 8.
Referees Z. Dobrosaviljevic, A. Attard, J. Siefert.
STANDINGS
Starlites Revive, The Plaza Depiro, Hibernians 2; Luxol Sherries Estates, Valletta Dream, Athleta AtoZ 1.
