St. Joseph’s College Colombo progressed to the quarterfinal stage, knocking out D.S. Senanayake College quite comprehensively in the fifth match of the group B. The final score read 62-35.
The Darley road boys won the jump ball and Kisa Cooray drew first blood opening the score sheets for Joes and they forced their opponents to take perimeter shots early on and managed to score off fast breaks. Bhanuka and Kisal were on a roll as they shared eighteen out of the twenty points the Joes made at the end of the maiden quarter only allowing their counterparts to score just four points.
Dons did have an offensive strategy but they were outmatched by the mighty Josephians as Bhanuka Gamage and Kisal Cooray started from where they left off and continued punishing the opponents sharing eighteen points including two, three pointers from Bahnuka Gamage. Joe’s outscored the opponents to take a lead of twenty three points at the end of the first half.
Half Time – St.Joseph’s College – 39 – D.S. Senanayake College – 16
A fresh set of players were replaced to the court by the Joes coach at the start of the second half and the opponents were in desperate need to settle themselves and they did a fair job after the ten minute break scoring twelve points and allowing the mighty Josephians to only record four points in the entire third quarter.
Joes stepped into the final ten minutes with a fifteen point lead. It was good to see the Dons trying to close in on the deficit by driving hard towards the basket, in a desperate search for points. They managed to score seven points while the frontrunners scored nineteen points including two three pointers by Shamin.
Full Time – St. Joseph’s College – 62- D.S. Senanayake College – 35
ThePapare.com player of the match – Kisal Cooray (St.Joeseph’s College)
