Sailors and Air-Men; Defense Services Champions 2016

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Sri Lanka Navy (Women) took on Sri Lanka Air Force (Women) in the women`s final of the Defense Services Championships while Sri Lanka Army (Men) took on Sri Lanka Airforce (Men) in the men`s final. Defending champions Sri Lanka Navy won the women`s title while Sri Lanka Army emerged champions after quite a lapse in the men’s division.

Sri Lanka Navy (Women) v Sri Lanka Airforce (Women)

Defending champions Sri Lanka Navy started off the game with mid-range jumper from the skipper Solange Gunwardene. The Sailors went onto score seventeen points in the quarter, which included a shot from down town from Premila Fernando. Both Dinuri Abeysinghe and Inoka Sandamali added four points each to the score.

Erandi Gallage scored the first four points for Sri Lanka Airforce and got the party started. Sri Lanka Airforce went on to score fourteen points in the quarter and trailed the game by three points at the end of the maiden quarter. Thushi Jeevathasan added five points and top scored for Air Force Women.

Coming into the second quarter, the Sailors maintained their scoring rate as they swished the nets possession after possession. Scoring twenty-one points within the ten minutes they dominated proceedings. A couple of three-pointers from Premila Fernando and six points from Inoka Sandamali strengthened the Sri Lanka Navy attack. In reply the opposition only managed to add ten points which put them far behind in conquering the Sailors’ fight. The score board read 38-24 at lemons.

The revitalized Sailors scored a game high of twenty-three points in the third quarter resisting an Air-Force ambush. Skipper Solange Gunawijaya scored eleven points in the third quarter and the Air Force, in total only scored ten points for the entire quarter. Even though Sri Lanka Navy had a fantastic third quarter they managed only a free-throw in the final six hundred seconds.

The early leakage of points haunted the Air Force despite their 16-01 run in the final quarter. Sri Lanka Navy successfully defended the title as Sri Lanka Airforce walked away with defeated hearts at full time.

Full time: Sri Lanka Navy – 62 Sri Lanka Air Force – 50


Sri Lanka Air Force (Men) v Sri Lanka Army (Men)

It was a tight contest between the two forces as it went down to final bullet as Sri Lanka Airforce won the battle in the extra time period.

Sri Lanka Airforce dominated the maiden quarter as they led the game by eleven points. Sri Lanka Army only scored five points as Sadun added a couple of shots while Pawan Gamage swished in a free-throw. A couple of three pointers from Gavi Cooray and six points from Anthony Venito strengthened the Air-force power as they scored seventeen points for the quarter.

It was the second quarter that fired up in style as Sri Lanka Army settled their nerves and executed their plans. Coming back to the game they added seventeen points during the quarter. It was Sriyantha Perera who top scored swishing six points off the ball. The Air-men scored two points extra and ended the quarter adding nineteen points. Anthony Venito kept on ticking the score board scoring another six points. The score board read 35-22 in favor of Sri Lanka Air-Force at lemons.

Sri Lanka Army, turning the tables around, had a fabulous run of 16-06 in the third quarter which bought them back into the game. A couple of three pointers from Suraj Balasuriya and another from Kevin Vivekshan kept the Soldiers at attention. Sri Lanka Airforce completely lost the plot as the managed to add only six points.

Coming into the final six-hundred seconds Sri Lanka Army scored twenty points while Sri Lanka Airforce added twelve points and tied the game at 58 all. Both sides were awarded five minutes of extra time where Sri Lanka Airforce added eleven points in reply to the four points of the Soldiers.

Full Time: Sri Lanka Air-Force: 69 Sri Lanka Army: 62