Recap

Hibernians kept up their unbeaten run with another convincing victory over Valletta Lions on Sunday at the Ta’ Qaliu Pavilion.

The Paolites came out strong from the start, with Matthew Gouder quickly sinking two three-pointers that set the tone for an aggressive offence. Valletta responded through Piotr Stelmach. However, Hibernians built momentum midway through the quarter, led by Derek Brown and Ivan Demcesen’s consistent scoring in the paint. The Citizens struggled to keep up as a Tedrick Wolfe dunk added emphasis to a commanding lead, closing the quarter with Hibernians up 28-16.

The second quarter saw an initial resurgence from Valletta, largely through Eric Terry’s sharp inside play. Terry scored six straight points for the Lions, narrowing the gap. Yet Hibernians struck back, with Brown and Matthew Attard hitting pivotal jump shots, extending their lead to 20 points by mid-quarter. Stelmach made a valiant effort with a three-pointer to slow Hibernians’ charge, but Brown’s consistent shooting kept Valletta away, with the first half ending 51-32 in Hibernians’ favour.

In the third rubber, Valletta’s Nicholas Grech showed determination with a pair of early free throws. Still, coach Christian Narciso’s clan dominated through Wolfe’s back-to-back three-pointers and Demcesen’s drives in the paint, extending their lead to 75-47 by the close of the quarter.

Valletta fought to close the gap in the final quarter, with Grech and Stelmach showing some offensive spark, while Stefan Simic’s quick layups and Attard’s shooting prowess added to Hibernians’ already substantial lead. Despite a few fast breaks from Valletta, Hibernians’ Miguel Mallia and Attard extended their margin, sealing a decisive victory.