Starlites consistency shuts off Athleta
Caffe Moak Luxol produced a solid showing against Valletta Dream to keep up their fight with Starlites Revive for third place as the Naxxar side stunned Athleta on Saturday.
Hibernians stated their case to hold onto the top spot of the MAFRE MSV Life Women’s League as they beat their closest competitors, Betsson Depiro.
VALLETTA DREAM 42
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL 77
(17-16, 12-22, 3-19, 10-20)
Luxol produced a dominant second-half display to defeat Valletta on Sunday, turning a competitive first quarter into a one-sided contest.
The Violets’ superiority was driven by Olivia Wikstrom, who was presented with her second Player of the Month award before the game for her performances in December.
The American import player led all scorers with 19 points and completed a double-double after 12 rebounds.
Vanya Baldacchino added strong support with her 17 points, while Lisa Fenech Pace and Eve Axisa provided steady offence, particularly in the first half, for double-digit finishes.
For the Capital club, Shautung Lin topped her side’s scoring with 14 points as the side struggled to connect on their shots on the day.
Valletta began confidently as Lin knocked down an early three-pointer, but Fenech Pace hit from deep to cancel this a minute later. Marie Elise Pollacco took over the Citizens’ scoring before Baldacchino showed up for Luxol to keep them in the game before the first buzzer as Valletta led by a point.
The momentum swung early in the second period. Fenech Pace found her rhythm, Wikstrom imposed herself at both ends, and Axisa’s triple stretched Luxol’s lead.
Despite resistance from Natalija Pejcic and Pollacco, Luxol converted turnovers into points and Wikstrom’s late three-pointer gave her side a 38-29 half-time cushion.
Hailey Grixti hit from deep at the start of the third quarter, but any Valletta hopes faded quickly after.
Luxol unleashed a decisive 19-0 run as Wikstrom dominated in the paint and Axisa punished defensive lapses from range, pushing the margin beyond 20 by the end of the rubber as the Violets led 57–32.
As if the third quarter bombardment wasn’t enough, Luxol maintained their intensity in the final period, with Baldacchino continuing to score early in the fourth.
Valletta’s consolation came through freethrows but Kelly Magro sealed the deal with a three-pointer with 59 seconds to spare.
VALLETTA DREAM N. Pejcic 7, S. Lin 14, M. Pollacco 8, A. Cutajar 4, M. Momcilovic 2, A. Caballero 2, H. Grixti 3, M. Mifsud, N. Montalvo 2.
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL G. Carabott 3, K. Magro 5, E. Axisa 10, L. Fenech Pace 13, H. Galea 5, A. Xuereb 2, J. Said, E. Abela 1, M. Camilleri 2, O. Wikstrom 19, V. Baldacchino 17, S. Sciberras.
Referees M. De Flavia, J. Siefert.
BETSSON DEPIRO 55
HIBERNIANS 65
(11-18, 21-23, 18-13, 5-11)
Hibernians won the battle at the top against championship rivals Depiro with a fourth-quarter decider.
Hibs were led by Josephine Diaby yet again, who finished as her side’s top scorer with 16 points. Hailey Mcleod followed with 15 as Steffi de Martino put up a 14-point, 11-rebound double double. Just a point away was Andie Saliba who also grabbed 11 boards on the day.
At the other end, Depiro’s offensive focal point was Lovely Sonnier, who finished with 23 points and 18 rebounds despite her side’s defeat.
Depiro made a sharp start as Claire Privitera and Sonnier struck early, but Hibernians quickly settled through Diaby and Saliba, turning steals into points to edge ahead. Macleod’s activity around the rim helped the Paolites establish a narrow seven-point lead by the end of the opening quarter.
The second rubber proved finely balanced.
De Martino hit first with a layup, but Depiro responded through Neve Borg and Nicole Agius, while Sonnier’s three-ball briefly hauled her side level.
Hibs, however, found space in the paint for further layups, with De Martino adding a crucial triple late on. A strong close gave Charles Bonnici’s Hibs a 41-32 advantage at the break.
Depiro looked ready to counter after the change of ends, and Sonnier dominated the third quarter, scoring repeatedly in the paint and drawing fouls to drag the deficit down to a single basket. Hibernians weathered the surge through De Martino’s shot-making late on to hold a four-point advantage before the final showdown.
In spite of the anticipation for a fourth-quarter battle, both teams struggled to break through.
Nevertheless, Diaby and McLeod took the spoils as Hibs’ 9-0 run ended al hopes of a Depiro comeback.
BETSSON DEPIRO N. Agius 5, J. Borg Xerri 5, C. Privitera 8, C. Fenech, C. Portelli 6, N. Borg 6, L. Sonnier 23, S. Deguara 2.
HIBERNIANS M. Buhagiar 3, L. Micallef, I. Agius 2, S. Lecuyer, A. Saliba 13, M. Bonett 2, S. De Martino 14, H. Macleod 15, J. Diaby 16.
Referees Z. Dobrosaviljevic, A. Attard.
ATHLETA 48
STARLITES REVIVE 83
(4-23, 13-15, 9-21, 22-24)
Starlites delivered a strong display to overpower Athleta in Saturday’s late game, asserting control from the opening exchanges and never loosening their grip.
Starlites were inspired by Georgia Haverlock, who led the scoring with 27 points and completed a dominant double-double through her control of the boards as she grabbed 18 rebounds.
Rebecca Naudi followed with 21 points and Philippa Riolo added consistent scoring support for 14 points. Ath the other end, Macy Tyler Smoth posted her own double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Kaya Abela rounded the double-digit finishers with 13 points.
Starlites set the tone immediately, racing into an early lead as Riolo and Haverlock punished turnovers with fastbreak finishes.
Naudi’s movement around the basket extended the run, leaving Athleta chasing the game from the outset. Despite late baskets from Tyler Smith, Starlites closed the opening quarter firmly in control, having let in just four points.
Athleta began to grow in confidence in the second rubber despite already having a mountain to climb.
Early on, Haverlock’s touch inside and Naudi’s cuts to the rim stretched the margin further. But Kaya Abela hit five points midway through the quarter, and with Athleta finding some rhythm, Tyler Smith brought it to below 20 points.
Riolo made sure to keep that +20 cushion before the halftime break with a layup.
The interval could not have come at a worse time for the Gzira side as they lost their momentum and Starlites sparked another powerful run in the third quarter that pushed the margin up to above thirty points.
Once again, Athleta were held to single digits as Starlites led by 33 points ahead of the final quarter.
The final period was Athleta’s best quarter of the day, an indication of the struggles coming from slow starts throughout both halves of the game.
Tyler Smith threw everything at the Starlites hoop, with Julia Schembri hitting a triple to bring the deficit down to 28 midway through proceedings.
However, two Jasmine Abela three-balls, and another from Amy Cassar Saguna stunned Athleta as Starlites took the win.
ATHLETA E. Farrugia, J. Schembri 6, N. Vella 5, K. Calleja 2, K. Caruana 1, J. Micallef 1, M. Smith 20, K. Abela 13, L. Camilleri.
STARLITES REVIVE M. Riolo 7, P. Riolo 14, M. Zammit Cordina 2, M. Fenech, R. Naudi 21, G. Haverlock 27, A. Cassar Saguna 3, K. Gatt, J. Abela 6, B. Sciberras 3.
Referees G. Barbara, W. Lim.
STANDINGS
Hibernians 18; Betsson Depiro 17; Caffe Moak Luxol 16; Starlites Revive 13; Valletta Dream 10; Athleta 9.
