Basketball: Thrilling weekend action as John Tabone Shield semifinalists confirmed

The third round of basketball group-stage fixtures in the John Tabone Shield delivered excitement, intensity, and standout performances across both the men’s and women’s divisions — as this season’s semifinal line-up was officially confirmed.

Senior Women

The opening clash saw Caffe Moak Luxol face Starlites Revive in a battle for top spot in their group, with both sides already assured of a place in the semifinals. Under new coach Christina Curmi, Starlites triumphed to secure first place, powered by Georgia Haverlock’s 20 points and Becky Naudi’s 19.

Despite falling short, Luxol came close to mounting a late comeback, with Olivia Wikstrom delivering an outstanding performance — posting 27 points and 12 rebounds.

In the day’s second matchup, Betsson Depiro dominated Valletta Dream with a commanding 97–43 victory, confirming first place in their group. Lovely Sonnier led the charge with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while young talent Samira Deguara added 14 points.

For Valletta, who bow out of the competition, Olesia Malashenko stood out with a superb 28 points and 18 rebounds.

Results:

Caffe Moak Luxol 57–63 Starlites Revive
Betsson Depiro 97–43 Valletta Dream

Senior Men

Defending champions Hibernians reaffirmed their dominance by clinching top spot in their group and eliminating Valletta Dream in emphatic fashion. The Paolites produced a commanding performance, cruising to a 123–60 win with seven players reaching double figures. Deonte Jackson led the scoring with 19 points, while Campbell top-scored for Valletta.

The final game of the weekend featured a high-stakes duel between Luxol Sherries Estate and The Plaza Depiro for the last available semifinal berth. Luxol rebounded impressively from last week’s defeat, claiming victory thanks to captain Nathan Xuereb’s 19 points and a dominant double-double from Smith (18 points, 26 rebounds).

For Depiro, Stefanovic and Turner shared top scoring honours with 13 points each.

Results: