St. Peter's - under 19 cager champs for second successive year
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The champion Peterite Basketball Team (Third row from left):
Priyan de Mel, Pramuka Tennekoon, Joel Pererapulle, Jeewaka
Herath, Lakshan Samarasinghe (Capt.) Andre Jayakody, Ramesh
Roshan, Trevor Juriansz, Arnold Fernando, Sajeev Mecshy, Inura
Ekanayake, Hashan Kavisha, Suresh Ahamed, Shenal Dias, Arun
Goonaratne.
(2nd row standing from left): Dr. Reshan Godwin (Team Doctor),
Dimithri Perera (Asst. Manager), Shamendra Wimalasena (Manager).
(Seated from left): Noel Cooray (Senior MIC), Rev. Fr. Shameera
(Sports Co-ordinator), Rev. Fr. Travis Gabriel (Rector), Rev.
Fr. Rohitha Rodrigo (Priest-in-Charge), Chaminda
Sembukuttiaarachchi (Coach) and Jayan Bandara (Junior MIC).
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BASKETBALL: The sport Basketball and St. Peter's College, Colombo
seem to go hand in hand with each other and the Peterites have
established themselves as the leading school in basketball in the island
in the senior division.
The Peterites have established themselves as a strong force over the
years and have netted in many trophies to their already full cupboard.
In the year 2008, the Peterites were crowned as 'Double Champions'. St.
Peter's had clinched the under 19 'A' division Inter-School Basketball
Championship Trophy, but also clinched the most prestigious Championship
Trophy in the National School Games for the year 2008. The under 17 team
were placed third the same year. However, in the previous year - 2007,
the under 17 'A' division All-Island International School Basketball
Championship, the Peterites won again.
This year - 2009 has once again turned out to be a successful year
for the Peterites and they have been able to win the under 19 'A'
division Championship Trophy. The Peterites were all Island champions.
In their march to success this year, the Peterites had quite a close
call in their match against Lyceum International and won by a close
margin - 71 points to 60. Then the Peterites had somewhat of a easy game
against De Mazenod and won by 89 points to 46 and won against Azar
College comfortably by 108 points to 70 and also had an easy win against
St. Sebastian's College by 70 points to 28. The Peterites remained
unbeaten in the group stage of the tournament.
Came the quarter-finals, the Peterites had somewhat of a tough match,
but their superior court craft gave them to climb the ladder of success
and won here too by 59 points to 36. Came the semi-finals - another
tough game. St. Peter's went through to the final by beating Lyceum
International by 85 points to 77.
Then it was the final - a big occasion at that. St. Peter's showed
that they were made of real champion qualities and they quite
comfortably beat S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia by a comfortable
margin of 85 points to 52. This was the victory that the Peterites
yearned for and the fact that they clinched victory in the final,
crowned them as the All-Island Under 19 'A' Division Basketball
Champions again!
Getting to championship honours calls for some superb play by the
Peterite team and it is true that their's were a fine display of
cohesive play. However, there were some individual brilliance too in the
Peterite team. Shenal Dias was adjudged Best offensive Player of the
tournament. The Peterite captain Lakshan Samarasinghe was awarded the
prestigious award: "Best Player of Tournament".
St. Peter's would certainly like to say a big 'Thank You' to their
Rector Rev. Fr. Travis Gabriel for the leadership that he has given to
sports and to Rev. Fr. Shamira Nirosh Cooray - the Sports Co-ordinator
and Rev. Fr. Rohitha Rodrigo - the Priest-in-charge of basketball
inspiring the boys to give off their best in basketball tournament
matches. The head coach Chaminda Sembukuttiarachchi, the
masters-in-charge Noel Cooray and Jayan Bandara, the two managers
Shaminda Wimalasena and Dimitthri Perera for all the hard work they put
into get up this champion Peterite outfit. |
