MAS Holdings (Women's 'B' Div.), Seylan Bank (Men's 'C' Div.), HSBC (Men's 'D' Div.) Champs
Seylan Bank registered a nerve-wrecking 75-73 win over a gallant Ranawana & Co. in the finals of the Men's 'C' Division of the 12th Mercantile Basketball Association's 'Ram Rathnavel Memorial' Knockout Basketball Tournament 2018, at the Henry Pedris Basketball Complex last Monday.
Having led in the first 3 Quarters of the game, Seylan Bank were given a shock in the final Quarter by coming close to an upset of the favourites. Apart from Player of the Game, Seylan's Dion Muthukumarana and Most Valuable Player of the Finals Naveen Bandara, Dhanajaya Polkotuwa too joined the party with a fine game for the champs. Abhidaran Soundaramoorthy along with Sameera Sandaruwan and skipper Dilan Perera were outstanding for the losers.
In the deciding final Quarter Ranawana added 23 points against 15 points by the Bankers.
MAS Holdings scored an easy 33-26 victory over David Peiris Motor Co. (DPMC) to clinched the 'B' Division Women's championship. MAS had control of the game right throughout as their forwards Oshadi Karunaratne, Geshani Lahiruka and Shimali Lokuge.
With a close 50-42 win over Virtusa, HSBC Sri Lanka emerged champions in the Men's 'D' Division. HSBC were clear favourites, but had to fight till the end against a determined Virtusa team.
The 'A' Division of the Men's category has been removed from the tournament, as Sri Lanka Basketball Association has not released players preparing for the South Asia Zone Championship to be held at the end of the month.
Men's 'C' Division: Seylan Bank 75 (Dion Muthukumarana 19, Gayan Samaraweera 19, Naveen Bandara 16, Dhananjaya Polkotuwa 16) beat Ranawana & Co. 73 (Dilan Perera 18, Sameera Sandaruwan 17, Abhidaran Soundaramoorthy 15, Thilina Pannaluwa 11)
Women's 'B' Division: MAS Holdings 33 (Oshadi Karunaratne 14, Geshani Lahiruka 7, Shimali Lokuge 5) beat DPMC 26 (Premesha Fernando 15, Jayani Athauda 9)
Most Valuable Player: Oshadi Karunaratne (MAS Holdings); Player of the Match: Not awarded
Men's 'D' Division:
Lanka 50 (Hasantha Gunawardene 17, Praveen Perera 10, Shenuka De Alwis 8, Pramoth Weerasinghe 6) beat Virtusa (Pvt) Ltd. 42 (Dilka Sirimanna 13, Andrew De Mel 8, Kasun Madushanka 8)
Player of the Match: Hasantha Gunawardene (HSBC); Most Valuable Player: Pramoth