Basketball: Mercantile Services win Senior National Championship

Mercantile Services emerged champions in the Men’s and Women’s categories at the 52nd Senior National Basketball Championship conducted by the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation (SLBF) concluded at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Indoor Sports Complex. 

Mercantile Services Men led by Gayan De Croos of Commercial Credit & Finance were unbeaten champions, overcoming SLSchools Basketball Association [BA (55-47)], Sri Lanka Navy [SLN(63-61)], Puttalam District BA (86-57) and Colombo District BA (55-54). 

In a one-sided game in the semifinals Mercantile Services defeated Sri Lanka Army [SLA (70-58)] and went on to beat Colombo District BA (68-47). 

Praneeth Udumalagala of Mercantile Services was adjudged Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the Tournament. 

SLA beat Hambantota BA to come third. 

In the Level II competition for Women, defending champions Mercantile BA retained their title with a resounding 61-48 win over SLA. 

The finals was well contested as both sides matched each other in every department of the game, but the gallant SLA Women were gunned down by the Mercantile lasses as a well organised team game in the final quarters enabled the Mercantile Women cagers to emerge champions. 

The unbeaten Mercantile Women entered the finals defeating SLN (73-44), Hambantota District BA (70-43) and SLAF (65-55). 

In the semifinals they scored a comfortable win over SLSchools BA (61-49) and met SLA in the finals. 

Anjalee Ekanayake of Hatton National Bank led from the front to be adjudged MVP of the Tournament. 

SL Schools beat SLAF for third place.