David Pieris Motor beats NDB to bag Mercantile Services Basketball Women’s B Div. title

David Pieris Motor Co. bagged the 25th Mercantile Services Basketball Association League Tournament 2015 Women’s B Division title, with a convincing 61-41 win over National Development Bank (NDB) in the Final, concluded at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

The battle was between Shalika Gomes (DPMC) and Natasha Perera (NDB), who dominated the whole game; Gomes scored 30 points and Perera scored 25 points in the process.

DPMC led at all three intervals: 13-16, 28-22 (half time) and 43-35, before winning by 20 points (61-41).

Before meeting each other in the Final, both teams were unbeaten; DPMC beating John Keells 48-37, IFS 52-18 and HSBC 62-39; NDB beat IFS 59-24, HSBC 59-30 and J. Keells 51-20.

In the playoff for the third place, HSBC beat J. Keells 28-17 on Tuesday.

In the Men’s D Division Final that followed, Kanrich Finance had to muster all their resources to beat Seylan Bank 58-52.

Kanrich Finance went into the final as clear favourites, as they whipped Seylan Bank with a whopping 71-37 win in their league outing.

But Kanrich Finance was in for a big surprise, as the bankers came up with an extremely improved performance to lead 31-22 at half time, after taking the first quarter at 19-11.

After the breather, Kanrich Finance got their act together and took the third quarter 45-41 to get in front for the first time in the game.

As Seylan Bank was running out of fuel in the final burst, Kanrich had enough in their tanks to nose through 58-52.

Dilan Kosgahakumbura (20) was the top shooter for Kanrich Finance, while Gayan Samaraweera (16) played a diehard game for Seylan Bank.

In the league stage, Kanrich Finance, other than their win against Seylan Bank, beat Sri Lankan Airlines B 74-33, LOLC 79-59 and MAS Holdings “Blacks” 55-25; Seylan Bank beat LOLC 72-66, Sri Lankan Airlines B 61-44 and Softlogic Group 73-51.

In today’s Men’s A and B Division Finals Sri Lankan Airlines will meet Sampath Bank in the B Division Final at 5.30 p.m. and  Commercial Credit & Finance will meet DFCC Group in the A Division Final at 7 p.m.