Evolution of Sri Lanka BASKETBALL

by Hafiz Marikar

Kandy has established a proud record of producing some of the top class basketball players which were only introduced into Kandy in the 1960’s. Kandy has produced district and national players at the highest level.

The game of basketball, as we know it today was created by Dr. James Naismith in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts to condition young athletes during the cold. It consisted of peach baskets and a football style ball. He published 13 rules for the new game. He divided his class of 18 into two teams of nine players each and set about to teach them the basics of his new game. The objective of the game was to throw the basketball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed.

The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892. The game became established fairly quickly, becoming very popular as the 20th century progressed, first in America and then throughout the world. After basketball became established in American colleges, the professional game followed; the American National Basketball Association (NBA), established in 1949, grew to a multi-billion dollar enterprise by the end of the century, and basketball became an integral part of American culture. It was the YMCA which had a major role in spreading basketball throughout the United States, Canada, and the world.

Basketball was introduced to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in year 1917 by Walter Cammak, an American who was the Director of Physical Education of the Central YMCA in Colombo.

It was from then the game has spread to other cities. The First school to introduce basketball was Ananda College, Colombo in 1927. Basketball Blossomed in 1960’s and 1970’s in Sri Lanka and was played by many schools and clubs around the island. This was mainly due to the fact that number of foreign teams toured each year and American coaches and promoters visited and conducted coaching camps and seminars. However due to lack of dedicated coaches and players, eruption of ethnic problem in 1980’s and closure of ferry service to India has contributed largely to bar the development of basketball in Sri Lanka.

Ceylon BA formed

It was in 1950 that the Ceylon Basketball Association was formed; later in 1958 it changed to Ceylon Basketball Federation. Then in 1959 September, Sri Lanka staged the first ever International Contest Vs Pakistan National Team. 1959 CBF was admitted to the Federation of International Basketball Associations (FIBA). 1960 Commencement of Annual National Championship for men. 1961 Women’s basketball was introduced. 1962 Obtained membership of the FIBA ASIA. [Then Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC)] In 1964 Basketball was introduced to Kandy due to the keenness of the Kandy YMCA, the man behind was the secretary Dominic Wannairachchi with Mahamaya Girls College PTI Manel Weerasinghe both gave a big hand with few more followers of the game.

The first ever tournament over here in Kandy was held in 1965 for men and women under the presidency of M.S. Jainu Deen doyen of Kandy’s Football, Hockey, Basketball and cue sport.

It was during this time that the Central Province Basketball Association was formed, clubs from Kandy, Kurunagala, Matale, Nuwara Eliya were affiliated to the Central Province. Then the first ever club championship to held was in 1965, where Annites Basketball Club from Kurunagala won the championship with Kandy Whites winning the women’s championship.

In the men’s D.S. Pingamage a well known figure in the basketball arena was the star player, and in the women’s it was Zohara Jumar the famous Kandy Sportswomen, who was better known in hockey and became the women captain in the Sri Lanka Womens Hockey team and Malika Perera were the best in women’s basketball stars in the first tournament.

Today the Kandy District Basketball Association is over fifty years, they have been giving their best for the sport and tournaments are conducted annually and the game is promoted in the right way.

Some of the teams to start were Kandy YMCA, Peradeniya University, Kandy Whites, Shepheardeans, Kandy C.Y.O, Kingswood College, St. Anthony’s College, St. Sylvester’s College, Girls High School, Hillwood College, Mahamaya Girls College, St. Scholastic’s Girls School, now this school is no more re-named as Hemamali BV, St. Pauls, Brevets College and all the Seminaries housed in Kandy too played.

It has also produced some top class players in Basketball at club, District and National level, and also the contribution made by Kandy YMCA should be weighed in gold, when one talks about Basketball in Kandy, the name which comes is of D.S. Pingamage, a product of St. Anne’s College Kurunagala, has given his best from the time he took he got involved in Basketball.

He had served in the Kandy District and National Basketball Association for several years, then the senior national coach, today he is coach who gives a big hand for several schools. His coaching has helped several schools and clubs in Kandy to pocket trophies.

Kandy BA gives big hand

Kandy District Basket Ball Association gives a big hand for the game; they promote it among the schools and clubs, due to this good work several schools and clubs are in the game. Some of the schools which are in the game Trinity, St. Sylvester’s Kingswood, St. Anthony’s, A. Rathnayake Walla, Vidyartha, Mahamaya, Goodshepered Convent, St. Anthony’s Convent, Girls High School, Hillwood, Swarnamali, most of the International schools, CIS, Gateway, Azar College, St. Benedict’s International School and their over ten clubs. A big hand to the Kandy DBA, headed by P. Kanangaraj, Vice Presidents K.P.S. Chandrasiri, L. Somasinghe, Secretary D.S. Pingamage, Assistant Secretary V. Raveedran, Treasurer Sajeera Gunaratne, with the rest of the committee give a big hand for the sport. A sport which is promoted in correct way, over here in Kandy.

Basketball is one sport which was played indoors, but today most of the games are played outdoor, due to no facilities, what the controlling body with the backing of the Sports Ministry should get the best of facilities for this sport which has a great following.

Basketball is a sport played by two teams of five players. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter and 10 feet (3.048 m) high mounted to a backboard at each end. Basketball is one of the world’s most popular and widely viewed sports.

A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the shooting team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line, and two points if shot from in front of the line.

A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, after the other team was assessed with certain fouls. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time (overtime) is issued when the score is tied at the end of regulation.

The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it while walking or running or throwing it to a teammate. It is a violation to lift or drag one’s pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling.

As well as many techniques for shooting, passing, dribbling and rebounding, basketball teams generally have player positions and offensive and defensive structures (player positioning).

Traditionally, the tallest and strongest members of a team are called a center or power forward, while slightly shorter and more agile players are called small forward, and the shortest players or those who possess the best ball handling skills are called a point guard or shooting guard.