Royal comprehensively beat Gateway to emerge victorious
The ‘Alles-Gunasekera’ Challenge Trophy found a new shelter at Reid Avenue when Royal College defeated Gateway College at the 3rd annual Under-19 Basketball encounter for the Alles-Gunasekera Trophy at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium last Sunday.
The final score stood at 59-47 at the long whistle. Royal dominated the game right from the start as they kept their lead increasing at the end of each quarter. The first quarter came to an end with the Reid Avenue school in the lead with 14-6. Royal continued their invasion to the Gateway danger area in the second quarter to be in the lead 28-19.
Royal senior cagers
Gateway, who won the trophy last year, failed to live up to their reputation as Royal kept the scoreboard moving at regular intervals. Royal’s control of the game remained in the third quarter too to end with the scoreboard reading 41-27. At the end of the fourth quarter the scores stood at 59-47 in favour of Royal, who became the proud winners of the glittering Alles-Gunasekera Trophy.
Royal read the Gateway pattern of play early in the match which resulted in cutting many chances of Gateway had in trying their luck to improve their score. Janidu Samaranayake and Dulmin Jayasundera of Royal College were adjudged the Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player respectively while Isuru Dissanayake and Shehan De Costa of Gateway won the Best Defensive Player and Best Assists awards respectively.
Royal U-15 basketball team
Gateway College was led by Chevan de Costa and Venuga Gamlath led the victorious Royal College Team. In the Under-15 match Royal defeated Gateway 42-23 and the Invitation Match between Devi Balika Vidyalaya and Gateway College, Gateway College lasses scored an entertaining win 51-25.