It was a thrilling passage of Basketball as the Herbert- Memorial Trophy Basketball tournament got under way at the MIANI and St. Michaels College courts this weekend.
The Hebert Memorial Cup Basketball Tournament which is planned to be played on the 25th, 26th & 27th of April 2014 is a tournament organized by St. Michael’s College, Batticaloa Alumni Association of Colombo. The tournament which is being held for the 3rd consecutive year mainly aims to benefit the raising of standards in Basketball in the Batticaloa district. The inaugural tournament was held in 2012 to pay tribute to late Rev. Fr. Eugene John Hebert S.J. who contributed immensely towards the development of basketball at St. Michael’s College, Batticaloa.
The tournament comprises of eight top basketball teams representing leading teams of the Island such as the HSC Blues, the Sri Lanka Air Force, the Batticaloa – Reds, the Batticaloa – Blues, the Police SC, the Sri Lanka Army and the Otters SC.
First game on the first day was between the Police SC and the Army SC which the Police team won 71 to 63; an exciting game to start of the day and this competition. Game 2 saw group B team Jaffna play Otters SC where Otters SC won 77 to 46. Otters SC played an aggressive game of Basketball from the start and always looked to put pressure on the team from the very north of the country.
The game between Hambantota Sc vs. Batticaloa Reds saw HSC blues beat the reds 85 to 39. It was a massive win for the blues team, the experience definitely playing a major role. The last match for the day was played between the SL Air Force SC and the Batticaloa blues. The Air force SC thrashed the upcoming team from the east 990 to 59.
The second day of the tournament saw the SL army SC take on the formidable HSC blues in a group’A’ match and the blues recorded a comfortable win over the Army 63 to 49. In the second match of the second day played at MIANI courts, the Batticaloa Reds took on the Police SC but the Police team emerged supreme beating the REDS 63 to 41. The Battticaloa blues eventually won the match against Jaffna Sports Club 63 to 43 finally bringing glory to the region. The final game for the day was again played at the MIANI courts and the SL Air Force came out with an impressive win against the famed Otters SC beating them 75 to 65.
“It is a great opportunity for the teams to interact and make friends while it is also a chance for players to make a name for themselves” said Rishan Rizvi an official of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation who went on to say that, they are grateful to the St.Michaels, Batticaloa Alumni Association of Colombo for organizing an event of this sort.
At the end of two days of thrilling Basketball being played in this side of the country, it is a pleasant spectacle to see teams bonding together, making new friends reminiscing with old friends, the true spirit of sport.
With a day left in this Herman Memorial trophy Basketball tournament, one can only expect the competition to get even better with exciting Basketball on display.
