Delmege Group failed to defend the title as they went down by a single point against a strong Sampath Bank team who won this year’s MSBA Premier Knockout Basketball Championship by 72 points 71 under lights at the Otters Aquatic Club courts last Friday.

Both teams played their hearts out but it was Delmege who took the earlier lead by 37-34 at the end of the first half. But they were stunned as Sampath came back fighting to make it a ‘ding-dong’ battle towards the end. The ‘white knights’ from Delmege who started well couldn’t continue in the same vein as they fell down in the second half.

Virantha Bastian, who won the most outstanding player award in the League, became the best player in the ‘A’ Division too by continuing his fine netting habits while scoring 23 points for Sampath. He was amply helped by Tisara Chaturanga who won the most outstanding player award in the Knockout. Chaturanga chipped in with 21 points. For Delmege, Roshan Randima and Captain Pragith Pushpakumara scored 13 points each.

Meanwhile in the ‘A’ Division Women’s final, Seylan beat Hatton National Bank (HNB) by 73 points to 60. Seylan had been beaten earlier by HNB in the same tournament. Seylan were ahead by 30-24 at the end of the first half and they went on to further the gap in the second half.

Inoka Sandamali led in front scoring 18 points while Premila Fernando (16 points) and Sanduni Bollegala (6) shared 22 points between them. For HNB, Erandhi Gallage, who won the best player award in the Women’s ‘A’ Division, staged a lone battle scoring 22 points.

Between these two close encounters held a match for the differently-abled between Ranaviru Sevana and Scenery Induct Association. The lads from Ranaviru Sevana won the match ten points to eight.