The final day of the South Asia Basketball Association (SABA) Under-16 Qualifiers Championship was held on 15th June 2025, at the Youth Center Indoor Stadium in Male City, with two blockbuster teams in the competition.
The game surely had the excitement of a Final, with a thrilling competition and an outstanding display of skill by both teams. At the end of the day, the mighty Indians managed to beat the young and energetic Sri Lankan side, with a score of 94 – 62.
Sri Lankan Skipper Aaron Gerald opened the scoring with a magnificent 3 pointer shot. Afterwards, the Indians came back with a similar sort of reply, and they managed to score 24 points in the first quarter. With India’s well-coordinated and cohesive plays and solid defense, the Sri Lankans had to fight harder for the points. (First Quarter Sri Lanka 14 – 24 India)
In the second quarter, the Indians continued their good performance and kept scoring back-to-back buckets. At the end of the quarter, India managed to score another 27 points, while Sri Lanka managed to score only 11 points. With this scrappy play by Sri Lanka, the game went away from the reach. (Second Quarter Sri Lanka 25 – 51 India)
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In the third quarter, Sri Lanka had shifted the gear, and it may have been due to a change in the game plan. There, Ashain George and Rasindu Nimsara had decided to step up with their Captain while being a headache to Indians. With this magnificent display, the points that were dried up during early quarters kept flowing for Sri Lanka. At the end, Sri Lanka scored 22 points, while India managed to basket 21 points. (Third Quarter Sri Lanka 47 – 72 India)
Though the Sri Lankans tried hard to display a glorious performance to bow out from the tournament, the strong Indians never gave them any easy chances by tightening their defense. The Indians added another 22 points in the final quarter, while Sri Lanka had to console itself with 15 points. Finally, the Indians won the championship with a score of 94 – 62 and sealed their ticket to the prestigious International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Under 16 Asia Cup 2025.
Full Time score: Sri Lanka 62 – 94 India
Despite the result, both teams displayed a high level of skill and strategy and did justification to the spectators. Though there is a clear gap in technicality, shooting, and passing accuracy between the sides, the lion cubs showcased a brilliant effort against an Asian powerhouse, and their fighting spirit made Sri Lanka proud.
Sri Lanka under 16 Skipper, the promising young talent from St. Joseph’s College, Aaron Gerald, was the standout player for Sri Lanka throughout the tournament. Further, rising talents like Methun Chethaka Wijendra, Pasindu Nimsara, Dulain James, Vijan Nethmika, Navindu Damsiha Waduwavala, Kavinda Angelo Ramanayake, and Chelan Weerasinghe showcased their brilliance during the tournament.
In the third-place match, the hosts, Maldives, battled against the spirited Bangladesh side. The lads from Bangladesh were exceptional on the day and managed to clinch third place with a dominant 75 – 42 victory.
 Under-16 Qualifiers Championship was held on 15th June 2025, at the Youth Center Indoor Stadium in Male City, with two blockbuster teams in the competition.){kind=link}