Eight teams in revived Otters Basketball Tourney

Richard Dwight

The Otters, since its inception in 1933, apart from being actively associated in the promotion of water sports - has also progressively through the years, been committed to the fostering of yet other sports. In this its year of the 'Diamond Jubilee', the club's newly elected committee under the presidency of Susil de Silva, has held quite a few celebrative social functions and, in the field of sport, organised a successful junior tennis tournament, an ongoing billiard competition, which is to be followed by a Badminton Championship, a swimming gala and yet others to come.

That which is currently on, is the OTTERS Diamond Jubilee invitation 2008 Basketball Tournament'.

This competition commenced on Thursday September 11 and will conclude with the grand final on Saturday September 27 at the Otters Basketball courts specific details of this 15-day Otters' Basketball Championship was made known to the members of the media at a briefing held at the Otters Aquatic Club on Wednesday September 10, by the President and Vice President of the Otters Susil de Silva and Vinod Lalvani respectively, also present on the occasion were the secretary of the Otters Mayura Amerasinghe and the secretary of the Basketball referees Association, Channa Perera.

It was gathered from Lalvani, that the main aim of the newly elected committee in May this year, was to reactivate most of the sports in the club.

The Otters Basketball tournament which had its origin in 1997 was not held for the past three years. A concerted effort was taken to revive it in the year of the club's Diamond Jubilee.

The tournament is being conducted by the Otter Aquatic Club, with the patronage of the Basketball Federation of Sri Lanka and is being sponsored by Prime Lands (Pvt) Ltd.

The foremost Basketball teams, eight in number have been selected to participate in this tournament, they are Colombo Bulls, Wennappuwa knights Basketball Club, Otters Aquatic club, Buffalo Basketball Club, Colombo Basketball Club, Old Bens Sports Club, Wattala Basketball Club and the Sri Lanka Police Sports Club.

The matches which have already begun on Thursday September 11 will continue till Saturday September 27. There will be 2 matches played on weekdays at 6.00 pm and 7.30 pm, whilst on Saturday and Sunday 3 matches will be worked off from 4.00 pm, 5.30 pm and 7.00 pm.

The semi-finals will take place on Wednesday September 24, the consolation final on Friday September 26 and the grand final on Saturday September 27.

All matches will be played on the Otters basketball courts.

The prizes in the form of trophies and cash, will be made to the winner, the first and second runner-up. Prizes will also be offered to the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament.