Basketball Legend Cosmas Perera Chief Guest at Benedictine Colours Night
Benedictines are felicitating one of the greatest sportsmen in the Schools 152 year history, when the First Benedictine ever to captain a National Sports Team, Basketball Legend Cosmas Perera Mahagama, will do the honours at the Annual Benedictine Colours Night on the 3rd November at the Defence Services School Auditorium, Malay Street, Colombo 2. On this occasion, Benedictine Sportsmen, from all disciplines, will receive their Awards for their achievements in 2016 and College Colours will be awarded to the most outstanding performers.
Cosmas Perera had the distinction of captaining the Ceylon National Basketball Team for 12 consequetive years from 1963, when only 22 years of age, to 1974, when he handed over the baton to another fellow Old Benedictine Rienzie de Silva. At school, he first tried his hand at Cricket, being the Opening Bowler and the Opening Batsman in the Under 12 in 1954, coached by Bro. Boniface FSC. Thereafter, he was a member of the College Junior Cadet Corps 1955/56. After a close friend invited him to join the Junior Basketball trials and was selected for the team, which went on to win the All Island Junior Championship for the very first time in 1958 under late Winston Wijenayake. The Champion Junior team was asked by the Director of the College Frenchman Bro.Athanatius FSC to travel to Jaffna, as a reward, and also take part in the Senior Basket Championship. They returned home after winning the Senior Championship, again for the first time, much to the delight of the sports loving Brother Athanatius. Thereafter, it was winning Championships one after another, with the Benedictines dominating the Schools Basketball Scene for many decades. He gives the credit for his and his teams’ successes to the legendary Benedictine Coach Ram Sundaralingam, who was a member of the staff of the College. It was ‘Sunda’ as he was fondly called, who taught him basketball tech- niques and tactics to make him a Total All Court player. While his great friend late Percy Perera was recognized as the Best Shooter in Asia in the 1960’s, Cosmas was renowned for his brilliant dribbling skills, thrilling the spectators.
He started playing for Old Bens in 1963 and Old Bens dominated the local Basketball Scene from that time till he emigrated with his family to the United States in 1975, beating the strong Army and the Orients BC, time after time in tournaments finals. He recalls the epic battles on the court with Rohan Daluwatte (later General) of the Army and Roydon de Silva of the Orients BC and the nailbiting finishes at many Championship finals for the Exter Shield, which was the most coveted Trophy at that time.
Cosmas captained Ceylon at the First ever Basketball Quadrangular held in Colombo in1964, with the participation of National teams from India, Pakistan and Iran. He is still full of praise for the excellent organization of the event, due to the untiring efforts of great sporting Gentlemen, of that time, late J.J.Sarangapany, late Wilfred Saverimuttu, and late Joe Daniel. He also captained Ceylon at the Asian Basketball Tournament in Lahore, Pakistan in 1965 and the Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand in 1966. He also toured India with National Team several times and learnt much from his Indian counterparts and Coaches, during those visits.
His Alma Mater St.Benedict’s College is honouring a National Great, who has brought much honour and glory to it during his playing days.
Cosmas is domiciled presently in California, USA but spends some months every year in Sri Lanka. He is intending to impart his knowledge and expertise to the College Coaches when in Sri Lanka in an effort to bring back the glory days of yesteryear to St.Benedict’s College, when Bens were the glamour boys of Basketball.