Lyceum Nugegoda outwit their brothers at Wattala
View(s):Lyceum International School Nugegoda played their hearts out to defeat Lyceum International School Wattala to annex the All-Island Under-17 Boys Division ‘B’ Basketball Championship played at the St. Joseph’s College courts in Colombo.
The victorious Lyceum Nogegoda team. Kneeling (from left): Hirun Ratnayake, Shizan Fairooz, Nashad Rilwan (captain), Rushdy Ashroff, Vishene de Silva. Standing (from left): Vanessa Labrooy (teacher-in-charge), Joash Corea, Thilan Nanayakkara, Jayden Ferreira, Sandun Bambarandage, Sheik Moulana, Navina Weerasinghe, Sandeep Gunaratne, Roshan Gunasekara (coach), Niluk Dananjaya (coach)
The Nugegoda cagers dished out their superiority against much fancied Wattala counterparts and recorded a stunning 61-55 win at the end. The eventual winners played as a unit with some good offensive and defensive play delivering a ferocious blow to their opponents.
As anticipated the final was more challenging with hard playing demonstrated throughout the game by Lyceum Wattala. Both teams were down to their first knuckles. Lyceum Nugegoda was trailing by five points at the end of the first quarter but bounced back to take a seven point lead at half time.
With that inspiration, the Lyceum Nugegoda team started to play their hallmark game plan as a team with lots of passing the ball around coupled with some great drives to the basket translated into the final outcome of 61-55 for Lyceum Nugegoda.
Rushdy Ashroff was supremely impressive as he scored 11 points for the winners. He was named as the most valuable player of the final. His teammate Navina Weerasinghe was the second highest scorer contributing with nine points. Sheik Moulana was adjudged as the best defensive player.
Under the leadership of Nashad Rilwan, Lyceum Nugegoda included Hirun Ratnayake, Shizan Fairooz, Rushdy Ashroff, Vishene de Silva, Joash Corea, Thilan Nanayakkara, Jayden Ferreira, Sandun Bambarandage, Sheik Moulana, Navina Weerasinghe and Sandeep Gunaratne.
The winning team was coach by Roshan Gunasekera and Niluk Dananjaya with the teacher in charge Vanessa Labrooy encouraging the youngsters with her fullest support.
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