Recap

The game opened with Hibernians’ Derek Brown wasting no time, sinking a smooth jumper just 11 seconds into play. Tedrick Wolfe followed up with a second-chance tip-in, giving Hibernians an early 4-0 lead. Luxol soon responded as Nathan Xuereb hit a three-pointer to get his team on the board. Yet, Hibernians pressed on, with Demcesen capitalising on a turnover for a tip-in layup, while Gouder’s jumper pushed their advantage to 11-3. Luxol, however, wouldn’t be held back; Xuereb fired back with another three-pointer, while Howard and Jandric kept the scoreboard ticking, bringing Luxol to a narrow 25-24 lead at the quarter’s end, capped by Jandric’s last-second three.

In the second quarter, both teams continued to trade the lead in a fast-paced, back-and-forth exchange. Brown and Wolfe scored key baskets in the paint, giving Hibernians a slight edge. Luxol’s Howard kept pace with a mix of layups and a fade-away jumper, pushing his team to a 32-28 lead. Hibernians took advantage of turnovers, with Demcesen and Gouder converting to regain a five-point edge at 39-34. But Luxol’s Howard proved relentless, responding with successive drives and free throws to keep the deficit in check. By halftime, Luxol had managed to pull ahead, 52-47, after a scoring surge led by Howard’s reliable shooting.

The third quarter saw Luxol attempt to build on their momentum. Howard and Xuereb led the charge, with Howard driving to the basket on consecutive fast breaks, pushing their lead to 61-50. Yet, Brown was relentless, hitting a crucial three-pointer and capitalising on free throws to keep Hibernians within striking distance. Wolfe’s timely tip-ins and Gouder’s clutch shooting allowed Hibernians to close the gap to 70-68 by the end of the quarter, setting the stage for a thrilling finale.

As the fourth quarter began, Brown ignited the Hibernians’ offence with a three-pointer off a fast break, reclaiming the lead. Luxol’s Xuereb responded with a floater in the paint, but Brown’s aggressive drives and Demcesen’s second-chance layups kept Hibernians in control. Demcesen and Gouder worked the paint effectively, extending the lead to six points with just over four minutes to play. Luxol’s Jandric made a late push with a three-pointer, trimming the deficit, but Hibernians held firm.

In the closing minutes, Brown’s fast break layups and relentless pressure widened the gap, while Demcesen delivered crucial free throws to seal the victory.