Basketball: Old Antonians retain Cager title at Masters Schools tourney

Old Antonians Wattala retained the 2nd Masters Basketball Sri Lanka Schools Old Boys Basketball Championships 2015 Men’s Over 35 title, as they beat the Old Bens, Kotahena, 63/56 in the final played under lights, at the Depot Police Courts, Bambalapitiya last week.   The Antonians led 18/14 at the end of the 1st quarter; The Bens fought back gamely and led 30/29 at half time; Bens kept up the momentum and led 43/36 at the end of the 3rd quarter; as the Bens ran out of gas in the last quarter, the fitter Antonians scored 27 points, to win by seven points (63/56).   The match winning shooters for the Antonians were Maxwell Saranapala (20), Manjula Jayaratne (15), Chaminda Perera (15) and Thushara Jayaratne (10); Asanga Perera (20), Roshan Gunasekera (20) and Pushpakumara (15) played a hard game for the Bens.   Maxwell Saranapala from the Old Antonians was adjudged as the Best Player.   Earlier on, Old Sebastianites won the Men’s Over 40 title, beating the Old Sokians, Ambalangoda, 89/64 after leading, 42/30 at half time.   Chaminda Alwis from the Old Sebastianites who was eventually picked as the Best Player was in topping form scoring 40 points; the other scorers were Thamindra (16) and Shiranka (15).   The Best Shooters for the Sokians were Mahinda Rajapaksa (25), Lalith de Silva (20) and Dilan Gnanaratne (16).   In the women’s Over 28 final that followed, the Old Josephians, Nugegoda scored a comfortable, 50/28 win over the Old Presbyterians, Dehiwela, after leading 25/12 at half time.   Premila Fernando, who was eventually picked as the best player of the tournament, was the top scorer (22 points) for the Josephians; Inoka Sandamali (10), and Amaya Kalpani (10) gave good support to Premila Fernando; Shashika Chamari (10) and Manori Perera (10) played well for the Dehiwela team.   On Thursday, the Old Isipathanians won the Mens Over -50 tournament, beating the Old Peterites 24/20; T.M. Amath of the Pathanians was adjudged as the best player.   Old Familians, Bambalapitiya won the Women’s Over -35 tournament, beating the Old Girls from Our Lady of Victories, Moratuwa, 32/22; Shevonne Perera from the Old Familians was picked as the best player. At a colourful presentation held at the MCA Pavilion on Sunday, awards were given away by, Cosmos Mahagama former National Captain, the 78 year old basketball legend from Moratuwa, Capt. Elmo Jayawardena and the incumbent President of MBSL, Neil Perera.   Veteran Basketball Player, Referee and Administrator, Jayanthan Jeevaratnam was felicitated with a life time award in recognition of his yeoman Service rendered towards the game.   The tournament was supported by DP Logistics (Pvt) Ltd., Assetline Holdings, Union Assurance PLC and Lionel Gunawardena (GM/Operations – Heineken)