The maiden encounter of the A division Mercantile Knockout Basketball Championship was played yesterday at Otters Basketball Court between Dialog Axiata PLC and Nations Trust Bank, a match which was postponed from the original date due increment weather.
The match which was previously abandoned while Nations Trust Bank team was leading, got off to a start with the Dialog lads having been granted their wish by the weather gods commencing the reserve day with the tap of the traditional jump ball. Even though Dialog had the first possession, the ticking of the scoreboard commenced when the bankers shot off an early three pointer from the other end. NTB getting off to a flyer, scored two consecutive three pointers as the score board read 6-0 after three minutes in the game. Dialog never showed signs of settling down in the first phase of the game as they lacked rebounds and a proper plan in both offence and defense. NTB capitalizing on the mistakes scored in almost all the possessions gathering the bonus points when they converted the turnovers through fast breaks. Devon and Clinton Thevakumar rattling the defense of Dialog, got their outfit off to an early ten point lead when the score board read 14-04 at the end of the first quarter.
Dialog Axiata got off to a positive start during the second quarter when Ravi Wickermasinghe shot a mid-range jumper off the right elbow. However, Dialog failed to keep up with NTB on their fast play. It was a bad day in office for the two post players of Dialog as they could not etch any of the crucial rebounds. As a result Sidath who came up with his A game grabbed them, passed them off to the other end for points and Devon made no mistake. Ravi Wikermasinghe, point guard of the Dialog outfit was in desperate need to settle his feet on the game, but the man-to-man defense of the NTB lads was keeping him away from it. The game plan of the Dialog lads was indeed a question; it is hard to go for set shots when a defender is with you all the time hence they need to pass around and create lapses in defense to penetrate in which was not happening from their outfit. Scoring then and there off unorthodox shots did not help them close down the deficit hence the bankers lead the game comfortably at half time.
Half time – Dialog Axiata PLC – 23 Nations Trust Bank – 32
The crucial third quarter of the game commenced and it was still anyone`s game. The planned offence which lacked all this time appeared from the Dialog outfit when they showed signs of come-back. Ravi Wickremasinghe started penetrating in and drawing fouls off the defense of the NTB. They closed down the deficit and squared the game a couple of times as they converted all the free throws into points from the lines. Dialog scored twenty points in this quarter while NTB only managed thirteen points. NTB was playing a slow game in comparison for the first two quarters and Dialog capitalizing on that got themselves back into the game. Opting for a half court press, Dialog managed to stop a considerable amount of NTB offensive possessions. NTB lads however withheld the pressure and still managed to score off fast breaks as they ruled the roost in rebounding. Opening up the game to anyone, the third quarter concluded when the score board read 43-45 putting NTB in lead.
The final ten minutes of the game commenced and saw NTB shifting gears getting the ball across the court from one end to another in the blink of an eye. As Dialog lads failed to keep up with the pace during the first phase of the game, they failed yet again. NTB opting for a full court press halted the offence of the opponents. Clinton Thevakumar at his best penetrated through the defense almost all the time and scored off while Devon scored off fast breaks. Rebounds did not come handy at the start of the game and it continued till the last minute for Dialog. Rebounds and fitness being the main contrast between the two teams, NTB etched the winning line with a lead of eight points.
Full time – Dialog Axiata PLC – 56 Nations Trust Bank – 64
ThePapare.com player of the match – Clinton Thevakumar (Nations Trust Bank)
