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The stiff resistance shown by Nations Trust Bank (NTB) was not good enough for the experienced Sampath Bank, who are also known as Black Knights, as they edged out the former in the grand final of the ‘A’ division MSBA Semi League Knockout Basketball Tournament conducted by the Mercantile Basketball Association last Friday (02) at the Otters Aquatic Club basketball courts, Col. 07.
This year, the tournament was held for the 15th consecutive time and was sponsored by the Hatton National Bank.
Twenty seven men’s and four women’s teams were there divided into seven groups competing in the tournament.
Sampath Bank was led by Chamath Danawansa while the NTB was led by Charitha Kulawardena in the final.
In the very beginning, it was the Nations Trust who drew the first blood to take a slender lead in the first quarter by 19-18. They were not able to keep their momentum in the 2nd quarter as well as Sampath bounced back to take a 35 to 31 lead at half time.
In the third quarter, Sampath was slightly dominant and went on to finish 54-52. Thisara Chathuranga of Sampath netted 40 points, a performance that earned him the most outstanding player award of the ‘A’ division, as well as in the whole tournament.
He showed a splendid display for Sampath but it was a see-saw contest in the forth quarter between the two teams.
But NTB showed a fine performance and, at one stage, they were leading 70-63 in the final five minutes and showed signs of a well deserved victory. A nail-biting end was on the cards, but Mithila Abeysekara (17) and Chathuranga (40) of Sampath found their fine netting habits just when their team wanted them and a very few costly mistakes made by NTB at the dying stages of the game turned the competition towards Sampath Bank and, at the final whistle, the scoreboard read 74-72 in favour of Sampath Bank.
Prageeth Pushpakumara (33)and Manjula Jayaratne (17) played leading roles for NTB.
Women’s Final
Meanwhile in the women’s final of ‘A’ division, which was played earlier, Seylan Bank outplayed HNB by 52-27 points in a one-sided affair to be the winner of the ‘A’ division of the tournament.
It was Seylan Bank who drew the first blood and took the first half lead by 17-14.
Seylan players kept their winning momentum going from thereon and were well in front in taking re-bounces than the HNB players. They posted their victory by 52 to 27 by the final whistle to win the title.
Kumarine Silva netted 14 points while Shirani Fernando netted six points for HNB while Pramila Fernando and Belika Thalagala played leading roles for Seylan netting 13 points each. Inoka Sandamali was picked up as the most utstanding player of the women’s ‘A’ division.
