S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia went head to head against Maris Stella College Negombo in the first semi-final fixture of the ThePapare.com U-19 Boys’ Basketball Championship 2016 last evening at the Henry Pedris Basketball Complex. The Thomians walked away with the win, with the scores reading 54-46 at full time after a close fought battle.
Maris Stella drew first blood with a quick release three pointer by Malshan Rumaiz, gaining possession, winning the jump ball. Kanishka Katipearachchi replied instantly with two back to back three pointers for the Thomians. Both schools began with an equally steadfast defense, holding their ground against oncoming offensive plays. A majority of the points in this quarter came off three pointers and jumpers from afar, owing to the little space on offer for players to drive in. The first quarter ended 16-17, in favour of Maris Stella College.
The second quarter saw Maris Stella constantly switching in between a man to man defense at the three point line and a full court press defense in an attempt to thwart the scoring attempts of their opponents. Although the Thomians were subject to a little pressure, they managed to keep up by converting free throws and the forwards scoring through close contact play under the basket. However, the scoring by both sides stalled in this quarter, owing to the stellar defense put up by the players. At lemons, the score was tied 25-25; a clear suggestion that the players still had to deliver for their alma maters, before either of the teams could register a win.
Half Time: S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia 25 – Maris Stella College Negombo 25
Egged on by the supporters from Negombo and Mount Lavinia, both teams went all out in the second half of the game. Maris Stella stalled S. Thomas’ in the initial minutes in the third period, cutting off their passes. They eventually adapted well to the Thomian defense and went on to score layups on fast breaks. S. Thomas’ improved their overall game in the third quarter. Skipper Adrian Gunawardene scored 8 points, to give his team a slight edge as the quarter drew to a close 39-34 in favour of the Thomians.
The lads from Negombo seemed to be in quite a spot early in the final quarter, missing crucial shots at the basket. S. Thomas’ on the other hand managed to keep their end of the scoreboard ticking at a consistent rate, drawing fouls and converting jumpers. Maris Stella resorted to an all-out full court press to catch up on the deficit. The consistency in the Thomian offense seemed to make up for the handling errors and bad passes made throughout the game. Maris Stella failed to convert three pointers and free throws in the final minutes of the game. The Thomians emerged victorious at the end of the game, 54-46, and secured a spot in the Final. It has been almost 7 years since the Thomian side entered the finals of the U-19 segment. Maris Stella who caused major upsets in this year’s tournament had to walk away as the unfortunate side in this fixture.
Full Time: S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia 54 – Maris Stella College Negombo 46
Speaking to the Thomian Assistant Coach, Mr. Sriyantha, after the game. “The players played an aggressive game and they deserved the win, However, I would like to see them sticking to the intended strategy in the final game. They did not execute this factor to 100% in this game. “
Top Scorers:
Chenura de Alwis – 19 pts (MSC)
Adrian Gunawardene – 16 pts (STC)
ThePapare.com Player of the Match – Adrian Gunawardene
