Mercantile women clinch national cager title

Angu RAJENDRAN

The Mercantile women’s team whose first five is the Sri Lanka team’s first five of Premila Fernando, Inoka Sandamali, Kumarine Silva, Benika Thalagala and Sanduni Bollegala beat the Colombo District team in a very one-sided final at Police Park yesterday.

The score at the end of the game read 62-34 in Mercantile’s favour. Even before the game started the result was a foregone conclusion as the Mercantile team boasts of the maximum of seven National players on their side with two National players on the bench.

With constant practice throughout the year this women’s team outmatched the Colombo District in speed, defence, offensive, passing and shooting. The tallest woman in the tournament - Kumarine Silva of the Mercantile team top scored with 24 points. Benika Talagala scored (9). For the Colombo District team - Erandhi Kaushalya scored 11 while captain Shenali scored eight.

In the women’s consolation final - in another one sided match, the Sri Lanka Schoolgirls team beat the Air Force to win 72-52. For the Schoolgirls Solanji Gunavijaya top scored with 29, Buddhika scored 10 while Lahiruka scored 9. For the Air Force - S.I. Vidushi (13) and B.D.M. Amarasinghe (10) top scored.

In the men’s consolation finals - the Air Force team delivered the victory that they promised.

Yet the Schoolboys had the lead in the first half 31-29 though Air Force won the game 70-63.

Air Force took off early in the third quarter. According to Coach Group Captain Harsha Fernando, any close game is won in the third quarter and banking on that he put in his freshest, youngest player from Batticaloa Antonio Fenito to feed the National Player Ravi Dodangoda who then scored from all angles completely rattling the schoolboys team who did not know what hit them when the Air Force built up a quick lead of 10 points.

The game ended with Air Force 70 and Schoolboys 63.

For Air Force Ravi Dodangoda (22), Indika Wijesena (19) and Oshada Amarasena (14) top scored.

For the schoolboys Dinuk Fernando (17), Layan Rajapakse (11), Praneeth Udumalagala (10) top scored.

Mercantile beat Colombo District by 62 points to 53 in the Men’s final of the Basketball Nationals at Police Park last night after leading 24-22 at half time.

Dirantha (16 points), Chamath Danawansa (14 points) and A. Mithila (12 points) scored for Mercantile while D. Harsha (18 points) and Jagath Kulatunga (12 points) excelled for Colombo.