Lyceum, Nugegoda retain Under 19 boys Cager Title

Angu RAJENDRAN

Lyceum Nugegoda boys – the favourites in the tournament – were in a class by themselves, scoring almost a century in the finals of the Under 19 International Schools Basketball Championships organized by the British School, when they beat Colombo International School in the finals 91/70.

Score at half time was 46/37 in Lyceum’s favour. Lyceum boys were in top form and the final result was a foregone conclusion at the end of the first quarter itself. The Lyceum boys played with ease and confidence and in the second half of the match when they scored 56 points, Rumesh Senanayake - Lyceum’s captain was playing to thrill the crowds. He pulled of the fanciest shots with a couple of dunk shots and numerous three pointers to the approval of the roaring crowd.

The CIS boys tried valiantly but with each quarter the lead just got bigger and bigger. A champion team like no other - captain Rumesh said that they worked with their coach on all their weaknesses – both individually and as a team before this tournament, as they had lost in the semi finals of the All Island ‘A’ division to St Peter’s.

They were ready to take back this championship and indeed they were. For the winners Rumesh Senanayake(29), Angelo Jayasuriya(24), Lumal Peiris(18) excelled while for the losers Prashastha Hemachandra(27), Sivadarshan Selvaraja(16) and Virosh Dharmadasa (15) top scored.

In the consolation finals AIS beat Gateway boys 55/53. For AIS- Yahren Tissera(23), Anook De Fonseka(10), Sherran Abeywickrama(9) and Janith Liyanage(9) top scored and for the losers Danushka Gunasekara(18), Ricardo Fernando(11) and Sashin Ramanayake(11) top scored.