Mercantile cager tourney from June 2

by Chris Dhambarage

The Mercantile knock-out basketball tournament organised and conducted by the Mercantile Services Basketball Association will commence on June 2 at the Otter Aquatic Club courts.

The cream of the national basketball players will be seen in action in the men's 'A' division tournament which has attracted a total of six teams. The league champions Delmege Group will be hoping to complete a grand double but should receive stiff opposition from Seylan Bank, Sampath Bank, David Pieris Motor Company Limited, Hatton National Bank and Nations Trust Bank.

In fact Nations Trust Bank will take on Hatton National Bank in the curtain raiser match of the 'A' division tournament on June 2 commencing at 7.30 p.m. In another 'A' division match Sampath Bank will take on David Pieris Motor Company Limited on June 6 at 7.30 p.m.

Delmege Group will make their first appearance in the 'A' Division tournament with a match against Seylan Bank on June 7 at 7.30 p.m. The quarterfinals will be worked off on June 8 with the semi-finals scheduled for June 13.

The final will be played on June 17 at 7 p.m. The 'B' division tournament has attracted only three teams namely HSBC 'A', Ranawana & Company and Sampath Bank 'B'. In the opening match of the 'B' division tournament HSBC will take on Ranawana & Company on June 3 at 7.30 p.m. In addition Sampath Bank will meet HSBC in another match on June 7 at 7.30 p.m. and Ranawana & Company will confront Sampath Bank on June 14 at 6 p.m.

The 'B' divisional final will be worked off on June 16 at 6 p.m. In the 'C' Division tournament six teams Union Assurance, Amana Group, Maritime Holdings, Commercial Bank, John Keells Group and Ceylinco Group will be vying for honours.

The teams competing in the 'D' Division tournament are Linea MAS, Nations Trust Bank 'B', IFS and D Group Paints and General, Mobitel, HSBC 'B' and Eagle Insurance.

The game clock will be operative throughout the tournament for all 'A' and 'B' Division matches and from the semi-final stage onwards in the men's 'C' and 'D' Division tournament. The preliminary round matches in the men's 'C' and 'D' divisions will be worked off a running time of 10 minutes per quarter.