Royal edge out gritty Gateway in a thriller
A packed audience at Don Henry Pedris Basketball Complex witnessed an absorbing game of Basketball at the inaugural Alles-Gunasekera Trophy Basketball encounter between Royal College, Colombo and Gateway College played last Saturday evening.
The final score of 46-43 bears evidence how the game went as Royal edged out a gritty Gateway outfit to be the proud winners of the inaugural Alles-Gunasekera Trophy named after two great teachers who devoted their time and energy to Royal College and Gateway College.
From the start the game looked a fast and clean as Rukshan Atapattu scored the first shoot for the Reid Avenue school and a little later Mirtesh Thurairajah equaled the score with a clean shoot for Gateway. Both sides made brave and speedy invasions at each others territories but were deprived of scoring as both sides adapted defensive strategies. Royal shot to lead the 1st quarter with 18-11.
Royal lived up to their reputation as National Schools Champions played a more organized game in the 2nd quarter. Gateway too made several attempts to lead the quarter. Both sides added more to their respective tallies as Royal added 12 points while Gateway added 15 points to their tally. The quarter ended with Royal in the lead 30-26.
The 3rd and the 4th quarters produced top brand of basketball as Gateway led for a while but Royal came back strongly to lead the 3rd quarter 40-34.
The final ten minutes of the 4th quarter saw Gateway scoring first which was followed up by three more consecutive shoots. Gateway failed to get through the full court defensive adopted by Royal. It was a thrilling ten minutes as both teams fought hard to obtain the lead. Royal added six points and with 30 seconds remaining after the final shot by Royal, Gateway looked for one more basket to equaled the score. But the tactful Royal defense deprived them. At the long whistle the better Royal side won the game over a courageous and talented Gateway cagers with the score standing 46-43.
Chavan De Costa of Gateway was adjudged the Best Offensive Player and the Best Defensive Player’s award was won by Royal skipper Tharindu Balasuriya while Royal’s Rukshan Atapattu walked away with the Most Valuable Player’s award.
The Under 15 match was won by Gateway College 60-33 after leading 31 to 14 in the first half.
Iflal Iqbal (25), Sharon Perera (14) and Devinka Mendis (9) were the leading shooters for the winners Kavinda Kahandagama and Nadun Selaka played best for the losers.
– Lakshman Ranasinghe;
Pix by M.D. Nissanka
