India defeat Sri Lanka in FIBA U-18 Asia Cup final
View(s):India secured their spot in the FIBA Asia Cup 2024 after defeating Sri Lanka 85-62 in the final of the four-nation FIBA U-18 Asia Cup 2024 – SABA Qualifiers, after the final at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. After a thrilling start both teams were locked at 43-43 at halftime before India surged ahead in the second half.
India’s dominance in the third and fourth quarters proved decisive as they outscored Sri Lanka 42-19 during this period. With a raucous home crowd cheering on Sri Lanka, India maintained their composure, scoring 22 points in the final quarter while limiting Sri Lanka to just 12 points.
The pivotal third quarter saw India assert their control, building a commanding 63-50 lead by the end. Despite Sri Lanka’s spirited efforts early on, including a strong start that had them leading at points in the game, India’s consistent performance and strategic play led them to victory.
Methika Jayasinghe’s leadership, Darren Bernard and Adrian Wijayawardena’s scoring efforts were highlights for Sri Lanka, but ultimately India’s consistent team effort and strong finish secured their triumph. In the battle for third place, Maldives narrowly edged out Bangladesh with a 59-57 victory, rounding off an intense competition in Colombo.