Gaja fillip for Sri Lanka basketball ahead of FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in Bahrain
Gayath Jayasinghe (centre) Group CEO Gaja Holding with team manager Clifford Surendran (left) and national coach Susil Udukumbura
The Sri Lanka basketball team got a boost ahead of their FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers with a multinational company based in Singapore and Malaysia Gaja Holding coming in as long-term partners of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation (SLBF).
“As a former Sri Lanka player and president of the Masters Basketball Association of Sri Lanka, we do lot of sports activities and conduct many tournaments. We are planning to build an indoor sports stadium in Colpety mainly for basketball, netball and three more indoor sports. We have lot of foreign investors in our forum. They back us to develop Sri Lanka basketball and indoor sports. That is why we came forward as a first step to sponsor the national basketball team and continue for a longer period. Our key interest is to develop grass root level of Sri Lanka basketball,” said Gayath Jayasinghe, a former Sri Lanka basketball player who is Group CEO of Gaja Holding.
However, Sri Lanka face a tough task of qualifying for the FIBA Asia Cup when they come up against Jordan, Palestine and Kazakhstan when they third window of qualifiers take place from February 17 to 21.
Sri Lanka suffered heavy defeats in away matches at the hands of Palestine (102-60) and Jordan (100-45) in February 2020 during the first window of matches in group F. They were to play Kazakhstan at home in November but the second window got cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result, Sri Lanka will play Kazakhstan twice on February 18 and 22 while taking on Jordan (19) and Palestine (21) in Manama where the competition will be conducted in a bio secure bubble.
After three windows, the top two teams from each of the six groups will qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2021. The six third-placed teams will advance to play a final qualifying tournament with the top four from this tournament advancing to the FIBA Asia Cup 2021.
“Our preparation within a bio-secure bubble has been very good. We analysed our past performances. We are missing two seniors Gayan Croos and Krishan Cooray who could not commit themselves for a virtual 38-day quarantine. We have a young side whose average age is 23. Inexperience might be a problem but players have the height and skills. I am positive we have assembled one of the best teams. The youngsters must grab the opportunity,” said national coach Susil Udukumbura who has been in-charge since Sri Lanka emerged unbeaten champions at the SABA Cup in 2018, pre-qualifiers for the Asia Cup 2021.
The three new players in the squad are Asanga Mahesh, Dilshan Fernando and Rashan Perera.
“We did lot of strength and conditioning training because players returned after a long gap. We have good height and hope to utilize our skills to give a good performance. We took 600 to 700 shots a day during practice,” said skipper Clinton Stallone, 28, a former Benedictine who has been playing for Sri Lanka for the past seven years.
The Sri Lanka tour squad
Team: Clinton Stallone (captain), Dasun Nilantha, Pawan Gamage, Grent Arnold, Nimesh Fernando, Nipun Kiriella, Dilshan Fernando, Asanka Mahesh, Saindu Gajanayake, Rashan Perera, Chanuka Fernanod, Rukshan Athapapttu.
Head Coach: Susil Udukumbura, Asst Coach: Ranura Nanayakkara, Trainer: Duminda de Silva, Manager: Clifford Surendran