The much awaited finals of the Fiftieth Senior National Basketball Championships was played yesterday at Hendry Pedris Basketball Complex. Team Mercantile ambushed Airmen with the final scoreboard reading 75-54.
Starting five
Team Mercantile – Gayan de Croos, Prageeth Pushapakumara, Timothy Nithushan, Mithila Abeysekara& Roshan Fernando
Sri Lanka Air force BC – Vinito Anatani, Gavi Cooray,Ravi Dodangoda, Osada Umayanga& Ranga Perera.
The game commenced when the clock struck thirty minutes past seven witnessing a packed house. The traditional jump ball was taken into custody by the airmen and they had the first possession. The pressure of the game was as such both the teams went into a zero-zero-zero run without scoring for two minutes in the first quarter. Mithila Abeysekara doing the honors raised the curtains of the scoreboard for tam Mercantile with a mid-air jumper. Vinito Anatani squared the game in the next possession and got Airmen back in the game. Although it was meant to be a tight battle; team Mercantile kept Airmen under the thumb from the start. Timiothy Nithushan getting into his from early, rebounded his own ball and opted for many second chances and got the scoreboard ticking. Mithila Abeysekara partnering up with him did most of the scoring for team Mercantile. Airforce BC with no proper strategy in defense lost the momentum and hence the opposition led the first quarter 19-11.
Sudesh Pavia, Anoushka Weetasinghe coming on to the floor for Mercantile in the second quarter just heightened up the pressure for Airmen. While teamMmercantile was capitalizing on the head start Air-Force BC seemed to be wondering off a lost cause as they did not have any proper play in offence. Just passing the ball around the court was an easy defense for the other side. Sudesh Paiva getting on the act with the skipper Mithila rebounded and off loaded to forwards which gave them a second chance at the hoop where they succeeded. Team Mercantile added 21 points to their total during the second phase while Airmen only managed 14. Their sagging man-to-man defense was a joke to team Mercantile’s offense as they scored over simple pick and roll and post up plays. It was surprising to see why Airmen did not opt for even a half-court press in defense since they too had the height advantage. Airforce lacked agile ball carriers and finishers hence they needed to score off set plays but it was a pity as they did not realize it and the game halted for lemons with a 15 point mercantile lead.
Half time – Team Mercantile – 40 Sri Lanka Air Force BC – 25
After the ten minute break, the Airmen did show signs of settling down but the experience of Sudesh, Mithila, and Clinton took the pressure off Mercantile. Timothy Nitushan`s improvisation on the game was lustrous. Penetrating through the defense and drawing defenders to him he offloaded the ball to the post players many times where the points added up to the total of team Mercantile. Airmen stood down miserably without a proper defense strategy and it was surprising why they did not go for the full-court press even at this vital stage of the game. Was it the coach or lack of experience? Third quarter ended when team mercantile lead 57-39.
The final ten minutes of the game commenced with Lakshan Samarasinghe coming in for the Mercantiles a Clinton Thevakumar was fouled out. There was nothing much left for the airmen to do as the game was already shifted its side to the opposing team and ten minutes wasn’t enough to get it back. Team mercantile continuing on their steady offence went on to a scoring rampage when they scored 18 points in the quarter. Airmen did connect a few shots then and there but they need consistency in their possessions which was to be found nowhere. Post players playing an all-round performance rebounded and scored which was the prominent difference between the two. The much awaited encounter evolved into a one sided battle when teamMmercantile won the fiftieth senior national basketball championships with a lead of 21 points.
Full time – Team Mercantile – 75 Sri Lanka Airforce BC – 54
ThePapare.com player of the match – Timothy Nithushan (Team Mercantile)
