Mercantile cagers bag a double at the Nationals

Sanjaya Ariyaratne

Mercantile Services Basketball Association bagged a double by clinching both men's and women's titles at the 45th Senior National men's Basketball Championship concluded at the Depot Police courts, Bambalapitiya on Monday. The tournament was conducted by the Basketball Federation of Sri Lanka.

Mercantile SBA beat Sri Lanka Police by 70 points to 57 after being well ahead with 40 points to 22 at half time. M.K. Shiran and Roshan Gunasekara with 17 points each played an outstanding game for the winners who were ably helped by Rasika Parabath with 12 points. B. Kumudapperuma and Sujith Master scored 16 points apiece to bring up Police score.

Before reaching final Mercantile cagers had the better of Gampaha District Basketball Association by a margin of 69 points to 54 while Police cagers beat Sri Lanka Air Force by 89 points to 82.

Mercantile SBA also took the women's final when they trounced Sri Lanka Schools cagers by 84 points to 59 played at the same venue. The scores stood at 36 points to 30 at the breather with the winners taking the lead.

Skipper Kumarine Silva (20), Premila Fernando (18) and Inoka Sandamalie (13) stood out for the winners while Sulochana Ratnasekara contributed a massive 25 points and Anjalee Ekanayake scored 12 points for Schools.

Rasika Prabath of Mercantile SBA has been named the best male player of the tournament while best shooter award went to M.K. Shiran also from Mercantile SBA. Premila Fernando (Mercantile SBA) was adjudged the best female player of the event with her team mate Kumarine Silva carried away the prize for the best shooter for women.