The Sri Lanka basketball team staged an impressive comeback to secure their spot in the Main Draw of the ongoing FIBA 3X3 Asia Cup, defeating Korea by a thrilling score of 21-19 in the Qualifying Draw held at the Singapore Sports Hub yesterday.
Facing a daunting challenge against the higher-ranked Korea, Sri Lanka’s cagers exhibited skill, marking a historic moment for Sri Lankan basketball. This victory propels them to the final round, just one step away from the quarter-finals, marking the first time in Sri Lanka’s
basketball history that they remain undefeated and progress to the second round of an international tournament.
Despite trailing 0-6 in the first five minutes of the intense 10-minute game, Sri Lanka fought back valiantly, matching their opponents neck to neck. With the score tied at 19-all, Sri Lanka’s cagers demonstrated remarkable composure, securing back-to-back triple victories in the ongoing
FIBA 3X3 Asia Cup match scenes in Singapore.
Of particular note is Sri Lanka’s consistent scoring performance, achieving the full margin of 21 points in every three games played during the Qualifying Draw. Rukshan Atapattu, representing the University of Moratuwa, played a pivotal role with Simron Yoganathan, Pawan Gamage and Nilantha Mendis in Sri Lanka’s triumph. In the group stage, Sri Lanka competed against Northern Mariana Islands, Indonesia, and Korea, emerging victorious against all three teams.
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka is set to face Mongolia and Thailand in the second round today. With just one victory needed to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
Sajeewa Jayakody