The final round of MAPFRE MSV Life fixtures of the calendar year saw Caffe Moak Luxol edge past Starlites Revive with just seven seconds left on the clock.
Meanwhile, Betsson Depiro and Hibernians continued their dominance with big wins against Athleta and Valletta Dream respectively.
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL 61
STARLITES REVIVE 59
(12-21, 16-15, 19-12, 14-11)
Luxol claimed a hard-fought win over Starlites in a tight, turnover-driven encounter that swung repeatedly between the two teams on court.
Statistically, Luxol’s edge came through rotation, which kept the team fresh throughout.
Olivia Wikstrom carried the scoring load, finishing with 29 points, followed by Sarah Fenech Pace who put up 18 points.
Both players contributed double-doubles to the game, with Wikstrom grabbing 20 boards and Fenech Pace 14.
Points were scattered between three of only six players who made their way onto the court for Starlites on the day. Georgia Haverlock led with 20 as Philippa Riolo hit 15 and Mikela Riolo added 13.
Starlites set the early tone through Haverlock’s reverse layup, with Luxol responding via Wikstrom’s inside finish.
Momentum shifted quickly back to the Naxxar side as the Riolo duo hit from all angles to give Starlites a double-digit lead. Fenech Pace kept Luxol in touch by attacking the paint and converting from the line, but it was Starlites ahead at 21-12 by the first buzzer.
The second rubber restarted exactly the same way as Haverlock issued the first statement and Wikstrom replied.
The Starlites’ import was the offensive target for most of the minutes in the quarter, pushing the lead up to 16 points.
However, Luxol closed the half strongly, trimming the deficit to 36–28 with three-pointers from Wikstrom and Gwen Carabott to keep the contest alive.
After the change of ends, Luxol’s pace increased, with both Fenech Pace and Wikstrom taking charge.
Fenech Pace scored twice in quick succession and Wikstrom repeatedly finished in transition, erasing the gap and forcing Starlites into a more reactive stance.
Although Mikela Riolo kept Starlites’ lead intact with a three-pointer, Luxol matched every response to trail by just a point, heading into the final period.
The closing minutes were a balanced encounter. Leads changed through free throws, fastbreak layups and triple shots, with neither side able to settle.
While another Mikela Riolo three-ball seemed to be the last laugh, Eve Axisa had other things to say as she levelled the game from deep before Wikstom shot a floater home in the final seven seconds.
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL G. Carabott 6, E. Axisa 6, L. Fenech Pace, R. Fenech Pace, J. Said 2, E. Abela, S. Fenech Pace 18, O. Wikstrom 29, S. Sciberras.
STARLITES REVIVE M. Riolo 13, C. Cilia 4, P. Riolo 15, M. Fenech 5, R. Naudi 2, G. Haverlock 20.
Referees F. Ciurariu, J. Siefert.
BETSSON DEPIRO 87
ATHLETA 41
(23-14, 24-11, 19-10, 21-6)
Depiro produced a dominant display to overwhelm Athleta, turning early pressure into a one-sided contest.
In a game that saw every player called up by both sides installed into the game at different points in time, Depiro’s Lovely Sonnier led with an 18-points, 13-rebounds double-double.
Borg Duo Julia and Neve followed with 14 points each as Hannah Farag added 11.
At the other end, Kaya Calleja was Athleta’s most prominent attacker, finishing with 12 points, followed by Nicole Vella who had 11 as Athleta’s scoring came in isolated bursts and were forced into reactive defence.
Depiro set the tone immediately. Sophie Abela opened the scoring on a second-chance jump shot before Neve Borg and Julia Borg scored from fastbreaks as early defensive pressure forced Athleta into rushed decisions.
Calleja bagged Athleta’s first bucket two minutes in with a three-pointer and Vella hit another one from deep close to three minutes later but Sonnier, Samira Deguara and Farag cancelled both efforts with close-range efforts to confirm a nine-point advantage at the end of the first quarter.
The second rubber mirrored the first. Depiro continued to dominate with Neve Borg opening with another fastbreak.
Calleja hit another three-ball but the gap continued to widen as Depiro powered into the paint for runs that led to a 22-point lead at half-time, maintaining a clear cushion heading into the second half.
After the restart, Depiro removed any remaining doubt. Neve Borg and Julia Borg converted ruthlessly, and Athleta struggled to slow the tempo. Sonnier and Farag combined effectively in the paint, while Athleta’s responses were a few and far between.
Sonnier hit the fourth quarter’s first bucket to make it a 33-point mountain for Athleta. Nicole Agius and Farag took over to close the win and while Kaya Abela got consolation points for Athleta, it was a Depiro blowout at the final buzzer.
BETSSON DEPIRO S. Abela 6, K. Fenech 1, N. Agius 7, C. Portelli 6, J. Mallia 5, C. Fenech, J. Borg 14, N. Borg 14, L. Sonnier 18, M. Borg, S. Deguara 5, H. Farag 11
ATHLETA E. Farrugia, J. Schembri 2, N. Vella 11, K. Calleja 12, A. Micallef 4, J. Micallef 4, K. Abela 3, S. Vella, K. Abela, L. Camilleri 5, M. Coric.
Referees F. Ciurariu, A. Attard.
HIBERNIANS 96
VALLETTA DREAM 35
(25-4, 21-13, 19-9, 31-9)
Hibernians kept their top spot in the league standings after thumping a depleted Valletta side on Saturday.
It was a mismatch from before the opening tip, particularly due to the Capital club having just five players available, but it was Hibs’ clean distribution that made the difference as the Paolites made the numerical advantage count by keeping the tempo high.
Steffi De Martino was at her usual best on the day, leading the game’s scoring with 26 points, finishing with a double-double after 13 rebounds.
Despite her high point tally, De Martino also showcased the unselfish play from the Paolites with four assists, second only to Iona Agius, who had eight.
At the other end, Aleksandra Nikishina took charge in the absence of Olesia Malashenko with 16 points a rebound short of a double-double as Marie Elise Pollacco led the boards overall with 16 rebounds.
It was a clumsy start to the game with both sides struggling to find the bucket before De Martino hit from deep to open proceedings.
The Hibs forward hit again from range before Nikishina scored the Citizens’ first point from the line. Andie Saliba put up Hibs’ third triple as the Citizens opted to secure the paint.
However, when Sasha Lecuyer scored off a layup, the floodgates opened and Hibs raced to a 21-point lead, allowing just four points by the first buzzer.
Valletta began to settle in during the second quarter but it was Hibs’ Agius who reopened the scoring.
Nikishina hit the Citizen’s first basket of the rubber through pressure in the paint, taking point as the team’s target inside, while Pollacco moving the ball on the outside. Nevertheless, it was Hibs’ party and they led 46-17 at the break.
The second half was already a formality but the Paolites kept pushing and if Valletta looked in trouble in the first two quarters, the third was the killer punch.
With no substitutes available on the Citizens’ bench, it became both a mental and physical battle for the five players on court and Hibs exploited this to make it a no-contest as Valletta were held to just nine points.
By the final quarter, the game had lost its spark, and when Michela Marmara hit the period’s first points with a triple, the game became shooting practice until the final buzzer as Valletta looked outplayed and tired.
HIBERNIANS M. Buhagiar 2, L. Micallef 4, I. Agius 3, S. Lecuyer 7, A. Saliba 12, S. De Martino 26, M. Marmara 8, N. Farrugia 2, H. Macleod 9, J. Diaby 15, K. Sammut 8.
VALLETTA DREAM M. Pollaco 8, A. Caballero 7, H. Grixti 2, M. Mifsud 2, A. Nikishina 16.
Referees F. Ciurariu, L. Silvero.
STANDINGS
Hibernians 12; Betsson Depiro 11; Caffe Moak Luxol 10; Starlites Revive 8; Valletta Dream 7; Athleta 6.
