The ninth day of the Carlton Basketball Championships concluded with two handsome victories crossing over the line for Sri Lanka Navy SC in both men and women divisions.
Seamen drew the crowd in to the sidelines to give their game vs. HSC Blacks a nail biting finale while the experienced women’s side taught the game to the young under-18 basketeers.
First Match – Sri Lanka Navy SC vs. HSC Blacks
The first match for the day commenced with clock striking half past six at Hendry Pedris Basketball complex with a full house. Both the teams were matching their pros and cons equally from the start of the game and maintained equal percentages of rebounds and shot making which drew the spectators close to the side lines. Navy with a recorded victory during the last game was high on confidence and took their shots in a commendable manner. Though both the teams were matching out equally HSC Blacks were trailing behind the score-board until the last few seconds due to the unforced errors caused by them.
With just two minutes to run down to end the game HSC Blacks levels the scoreboard in to 61-61 with a downtown jumper which swished the nets. Though they levelled the scores within the next fifteen seconds HSC defenders fouled Perera and it gives him the chance to take two shots from the line. Perera who failed one and converts one gets the lead back on the sailor’s side by one point.
Though Mithila Abeysekara also gets the chance for two free shots he slides the duty away and fails to convert them into points which paved the way to Navy victory. With twenty seconds to go down a quick hustle and steal by Perera leads to a turnover and gives the Navy’s air-bone Nerranja Civijic to take a close look at the ring with a standing dunk which he completes off in style to draw the curtains for the game with a lead of three points.
(Full time – Sri Lanka Navy – 64 HSC Blacks – 61)
Second Match – Sri Lanka Navy SC (Women) vs. Sri Lanka Under-18 Youth Team
The second match for the day commenced right after the nail biting men`s thriller. The experienced Navy outfit was all-ready to take on the young basketeers. The under-18 outfit who had defeated the air women in their last match-up walked in with confidence but wasn`t lucky enough as they weren`t the better side on the court on the day.
Navy gaining first possession after the jump ball start was right at the sleeves of the young children. Premila Fernando, the point guard of the sailors was making play after play with good ball movement and was highly assisted by the other four on the play. The sagging man-to-man defence scattered the under eighteen offense when they underwent more than four shot clock violations in the first quarter itself. Navy ended the first half with an eleven point lead which included five three point shots from Rangi which swished the nets at ease.
Though the under eighteen side depicted signs of settling their nerves down when Swarngi and Imesha started playing good minutes during the second phase they weren`t able to close down the deficit. The shot selection of the under-18 side leaves out the question on whether the players are stressed with pressure or is it lack of practice since Navy was almost over eighty percent accurate on their shot selection and offensive plays which took the young basketeers by surprise. It was an experience gathering contest for the under-18 side where the skilled sailors side played their role in teaching.
(Full time – Sri Lanka Navy SC (Women) – 67 Sri Lanka Under-18 Youth Side – 52)
