Recap

Hibernians scuffed a 19-point second-quarter lead to concede a nine-point defeat against high-flying Starlites on Sunday. This was the Paolites’ second consecutive game without import guard Nick Brennen and his absence was felt dearly as Hibs coach Mario Tabone was forced to give very long minutes to his starters which became the team’s downfall in the end.

Game top scorer Mason Hix (30pts-10reb) kicked off the scoring before Matthew Attard hit from deep for a quick start for Hibernians. Fellow double-double finisher Ivan Demcesen, with 20 points and 14 rebounds, added another four points before Starlites coach Paul Ferrante called an early timeout.

Christian Hinckson stopped a 9-0 run with a layup, and Alec Felice Pace hit from three-point range but Hibs’ Luke Farrugia scored an identical three-ball before another Demcesen score for a double-digit lead five minutes into the game. 

Hix opened the second quarter with a mid-range score. Kurt James replied for Starlites with a three-ball. Starlites managed to bring the gap down to single digits, but Hibs got into the bonus with half of the second quarter to go. Both Hix and Demcesen were in double-digits, but it was Hibs’ defence which kept them up 51-39 at the halftime break. 

Starlites’s Davonte Craven put the first points on the board after the change of ends to make it a 10-point deficit. After a rough start to the game, the Naxxar side were now settling in and they managed to bring the gap down to just one point with 2.15 to go in the third quarter. It had become another side of the story as Hibs were struggling to keep up their earlier fight. Felice Pace momentarily levelled terms with an and-one play but Hix scored again to give the Paolites a two-point lead ahead of the final quarter. 

With a much deeper bench, Starlites played the long game and this panned out just as planned with Matthew Scerri returning to the court to hit two straight three-pointers as the Naxxar side took the lead in the fourth quarter. Starlites forward Kurt James fouled out ahead of the final five minutes but it was another win for the title holders over a visibly exhausted Hibs side.