Two matches of Group ‘A’ in the All Island U19 A Division Boys ThePapare Basketball Championship were played today at Maristella College basketball court premises. Defending champions AIS took on the hosts while D.S.Senanayake College took on De La Salle College.
Asian International School v Maristella College – Negombo
Maristella College led the game from the first quarter as they scored seventeen points. Ronal Perera opened the account for the hosts by swishing the nets with a mid-range jumper. AIS lads drawing four fouls inside the first five minutes scored half of the points through free throws in the maiden quarter. Dhamshike Piyasena was the first to convert the free throws followed by Thurith Haputhanthri and Taher Akbarally. Piyasena added six points in total for the AIS outfit for the first quarter as they scored thirteen points and trailed by four.
Coming into the second quarter AIS did maintain their scoring rate but the deficit of four points in the first affected the half time score line. The home team added seventeen points in reply to the visitors thirteen points. Akbarally scored six points out of the twelve for AIS. It was a complete team performance by Maristella College as everyone chipped in with points.
Half time – Asian International School – 25 Maristella College – 33
After the ten-minute break, Piyasena and Nelson Baek added nine points between them. But Maristella College continuing the momentum, replied with ten points still leading the game comfortably.
Even though AIS added thirteen points in the final quarter, the leaked points in the first half of the game haunted them at the end. Maristella College scored twelve points in the final quarter as they drew curtains and walked away with the victory. The key to victory was that Maristella College came up with a complete team performance without limiting the offense to a couple of players.
Full Time – Asina International School – 47 Maristella College – 55
ThePapare.com player of the match: Ronal Perera (Maristella College)
Top Point Scorers –
1.Ronal Perera – 10 Points (Maristella College)
2.Dhamshike Piyasena – 15 Points (Asian International School)
D.S.Senanayake College v De La Salle College
Both the teams were head to head and dominated the game from the starting whistle. De La Salle College scored fifteen points in the first quarter. Even though D.S.Senanayake College trailed by four points and scored eleven points both the teams were into a good game of basketball.
It was essential that either of the teams keep up the consistency since unforced errors were in play. Both the teams squared the second quarter scoring six points each. But with the deficit of the four points D.S.Senanayake College were still behind a point as they walked into lemons.
Halftime – De La Salle College – 21 D.S.Senanayake College – 20
It’s always a pity to see a team losing the plot towards the end of the game after getting on to a rocketing start. Yet, D.S.Senanayake College suffered the same fate. They leaked too many points in their defense which created the upset in the equation.
Scoring twelve points and seventeen points in the final two quarters lads from De La Salle College grabbed the game and tucked inside the pocket. D.S.Senanayake College only added ten and twelve points respectively in the final two-quarters.
Full time: De La Salle College – 50 D.S.Senanayake College – 32
ThePapare.com player of the match: Ishara Piumal (De La Salle College)
Top Point Scorers:
1.Vishwa Shehan – 16 Points (D.S.Senanayake College Colombo)
2.Ishara Piumal – 16 Points (De La Salle College)
