The MAPFRE MSV Life Women’s Knockout produced its two finalists last weekend as Caffe Moak Luxol pushed aside Athleta before Hibernians overcame Starlites Revive at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion in this season’s semifinals.
ATHLETA 40
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL 89
(15-22, 6-24, 10-32, 9-11)
Luxol booked their place in the final with a dominant 49-point victory over Athleta.
The Violets authority over the contest was reflected early on, demonstrated by Olivia Wikstrom’s impressive performance that saw her lead all scorers with 31 points and dominating the boards for 16 rebounds.
Lisa Fenech Pace and Vanya Baldacchino both added 14 points with Fenech Pace duo Rebecca and Sarah both grabbing double-digit rebounds.
Meanwhile, Athleta relied heavily on Macy Tyler Smith, who finished with 28 points and repeatedly earned trips to the freethrow line, but limited secondary scoring and a rebounding deficit left the Gzira side chasing the game from early on.
Luxol’s balance and depth allowed them to sustain intensity through the middle quarters and manage the closing stages comfortably.
Athleta started brightly, with Tyler Smith attacking early to open the scoring. Luxol responded through Olivia Wikstrom, who struck twice from beyond the arc in between Lisa Fenech Pace freethrows and quickly imposed herself on second-chance opportunities.
Julia Schembri and Nicole Vella both hit from deep for Athleta but Wikstom and Lisa Fenech Pace made sure to keep up Luxol’s lead, closing the opening quarter with a seven-point advantage.
The second rubber was possibly the game’s deciding factor as Luxol fired constantly while holding the fort to only let in six points throughout the 10 minutes.
Wikstrom opened play with five straight points before Baldacchino landed two consecutive layups. Gwen Carabott made a 20+ point margin but the Violets kept pushing and led by 25 by halftime at 46-21.
Any hopes of a response were extinguished in the third quarter as Luxol achieved their best quarter of the game. Wikstrom attacked the rim to put up no less than 12 points while Jada Said hit two straight triples midway through the quarter.
Meanwhile, Athleta relied on Tyler Smith for most of the points with Julia Schembri adding a three-ball and Kelsey Abela scoring from the line. However, it was Luxol all the way as the lead ballooned to 47 ahead of the final quarter.
With the outcome beyond doubt, the final quarter became a formality. The game slowed down but Tyler Smith remained on the offensive for her side, scoring all the Athleta points of the rubber. Baldacchino and Rebecca Fenech Pace shared the spoils of the fourth before the final buzzer gave Luxol their ticket to the final.
ATHLETA E. Farrugia, J. Schembri 6, N. Vella 3, K. Calleja, K. Caruana, J. Micallef 1, M. Tyler Smith 28, K. Abela, S. Vella 1, K. Abela 1, L. Camilleri, A. Pisani.
CAFFE MOAK LUXOL G. Carabott 5, K. Magro, E. Axisa 5, L. Fenech Pace 14, R. Fenech Pace 6, A. Xuereb, J. Said 6, M. Camilleri, S. Fenech Pace 8, O. Wikstrom 31, V. Baldacchino 14, S. Sciberras.
Referees F. Ciurariu, M. De Flavia, J. Londono.
HIBERNIANS 61
STARLITES REVIVE 58
(14-9, 20-11, 13-20, 14-18)
Hibernians secured their place in the final with a controlled but close victory over Starlites stemming from early authority and late composure.
Paolites guard Andie Saliba led the winners with 19 points, with Steffi De Martino adding 16 and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Starlites leaned heavily on Georgia Haverlock, who finished with 25 points and kept the game alive deep into the fourth quarter. Julija Dabic scored 10 against her former side but limited support and a slow start left them chasing throughout.
Hibs set the tone immediately, racing into an early lead through Josephine Diaby’s work in the paint and a three-pointer from De Martino off a turnover.
Their defensive pressure disrupted Starlites’ rhythm, forcing rushed possessions and fuelling a quick scoring run. Although Dabic steadied Starlites briefly with back-to-back scores, Saliba’s three-ball late in the quarter ensured they closed the opening rubber in control at 14-9.
The second quarter followed a similar pattern. Saliba opened with a smooth finish before De Martino and Marie Buhagiar punished Starlites as the gap stretched into double figures.
Rebecca Naudi and Haverlock attempted to spark a response, the latter hitting a triple and points from the line, but Hibernians continued to dictate the tempo with more threes, leading to a 14-point lead at halftime.
Starlites pushed for a comeback after the break, with Haverlock attacking the rim and Dabic finding space from mid-range. Each push, however, was met with a calm response from deep.
Saliba drilled a crucial long-ranger to halt the momentum, while De Martino answered again from beyond the arc as Hibs preserved their cushion. Despite Starlites trimming the deficit through sustained pressure, the Paolites closed the third quarter still in control at 47-40.
The final stretch brought late tension as Starlites mounted a determined chase. Michela Zammit Cordina and Haverlock struck from deep while Naudi added scores in transition to reduce the margin to a single possession. Yet Hibs never fully lost control. Even as Starlites closed to within three in the dying seconds, Hibernians held firm to see out the game, sealing a hard-earned win and confirming their place in the final.
HIBERNIANS M. Buhagiar 5, L. Micallef, S. Lecuyer 6, A. Saliba 19, M. Bonett, S. De Martino 16, H. Macleod 7, J. Diaby 8.
STARLITES REVIVE M. Riolo 6, P. Riolo 3, M. Zammit Cordina 4, M. Fenech 4, R. Naudi 6, G. Haverlock 25, J. Abela, J. Dabic 10.
Referees Z. Dobrosaviljevic, W. Lim, J. Siefert.
