The championship final was worked off yesterday between Asian International School vs. Royal College. Even though the lads from reid avenue bounced back into the game with a robust second half performance it just not enough as the hosts were crowned double champions for the year 2015. Score board read 62-69 at full time.
Turning Point
Royalists were not upto the mark during the first twenty minutes of the game in their offense. They were in desperate need to settle themselves and play the team game without focusing on individual talent. They were on a hunt to match the playing style of the AIS lads but it was in vain as AIS had the pace and the individual talent to play as they wished. That type of game play was not in the genes of the Reid Avenue lads and hence they had a shaky offense. They gave away too many points during the first half and those points haunted them during the latter part of the game.
Even though Rukshan Atapattu and Tharindu Balasuriya did go on a streak of dishing out three pointers in the second half and closing the deficit,they missed the valuable points in converting the free throws. Situations where AIS led the game by three points would have been perfectly handled if they had converted the free throws into points at the line.
Visal Pinto was way off par as he couldn’t make much of an impact and did not do too much damage to the score card. He was in desperate need to settle himself down yet he failed to do so until the last minute of the game. Rushshan and Tharindu lacked support of the teammates it was the factor that made the difference on the score board.
Even though AIS did not take the opponents by full swing they were up to a team game. Hasitha Perera etched the rebounds in both the offensive and defensive aspect and supported Bevan Samuel and Taheer to make the set shots and finish off the fast breaks.
Stats Don’t lie
AIS scored thirteen points in the maiden quarter and nineteen points in the second quarter. It took an eternity for the Royalists to come back and level the game. Even though Royal College scored twenty four points in the third quarter the early lead gained by the AIS lads saved the day for them. AIS scored another twenty one in the final quarter which upped their score into safety. The difference of seven points in the final quarter could have been easily closed if they were able to convert the free throws.
Bottom Line
Royal College was one of the better shooting sides of the tournament and they did so by playing a team game and making sure each and every player puts his hand up in ticking the scoreboard. Yet with the pressure mounting up in the final game, they were more focused on individual talent and not all the players contributed in ticking the scoreboard. Being unable to convert crucial points on the line Royal never had the game in the pocket as AIS led the game all the way through.
ThePapare.com player of the match – Hasitha Perera (Aisan International School)
ThePapare.com player of the series – Taheer Akbarally (Aisan Internationa School)
