HNB clinch Women’s ‘A’ Division basketball title

Monday, 17 October 2016 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A star-studded and unbeaten HNB team with Anjalee Ekanayake (national player), Umanga de Zoysa (Captain, 2015 MSBA team and Sri Lanka Schools 2006), Imasha Thathsarani (SL U-18 Captain at Asian Championships 2014) and Kumarini Silva (Basketball and Netball Captain) overpowered a fighting Seylan Bank 59-43, in the Women’s ‘A’ Division finals of the 26th MSBA League basketball tournament, which concluded at Sir Edward Henry Pe dris courts on Thursday.

HNB dominated the first three quarters 11-4, 30-12 and 44-27 respectively before galloping to victory.

Skipper Anjalee Ekanayake (15), Imasha Thathsarani (12) and Kumarini Silva (20) piled on the points for HNB. Seylan’s old guard of Skipper Amaya Kalpani, Jayaliya Kumari (11) and Tharjini Sivalingam (10) were the main scorers.

In the Men’s ‘D’ Division final that followed, Seylan Bank staved off a last-minute stampede from Union Bank, to lift the title with a heart-stopping 74-72 win.

Seylan Bank with Gayan Samaraweera (32) and Dion Muthukumarana (15) kept the scoreboard ticking, as they led throughout the first three quarters 22-12, 43-29 and 62-44 respectively.

Trailing by 18 points in the last quarter, Union Bank made a final charge through Hasitha Wijeratne (27) and the brilliant Clifford Shenal (25) as they went down fighting by two points.