CHENNAI, India, April 2, 2025 (ePRESS) – Fresh off their triumph in the Sri Lanka Basketball League, Colombo Basketball Club left the island on Tuesday to represent Sri Lanka in the South Asian Basketball Association (SABA) Club Championship 2025. The tournament will take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, India, from April 2 to April 7.
This event follows a structured format, similar to other club championships held globally. In basketball, a nation must first host a domestic club championship to determine its representative for regional tournaments. The Sri Lanka Basketball Federation (SLBF) conducted the national club championship in March, where Colombo Basketball Club emerged victorious, earning the right to compete in Chennai.
A total of five teams will battle for regional supremacy in this year’s SABA Club Championship, featuring clubs from Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. The winner of this tournament will secure a spot in the prestigious FIBA Asia Club Championship, set to take place in Bahrain this August.
Colombo Basketball Club will be led by captain Chanuka Fernando. The squad consists of players who played a key role in winning the Sri Lanka Basketball League, which was organized by SLBF and held at the Royal MAS Arena. The only schoolboy player included in the team is Methika Jayasinghe of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, who was also a part of the championship-winning squad.
During their national league campaign, Colombo Basketball Club displayed dominance, securing the title with a commanding victory over Colombo Bulls, a team that featured a foreign player from the United States. The final was played at the Royal College Indoor Courts and showcased Colombo Basketball Club’s superiority despite facing international competition.
The team is under the guidance of head coach Ajith Kuruppu and assistant coach Shivashakthi Selvarajah. The delegation is led by Chef de Mission Gayan Jayasinghe, while physiotherapist Lakmal will oversee player fitness during the tournament.
Colombo Basketball Club’s participation is backed by key sponsors, with Gaja TV and Sunil Trades serving as the main sponsors. MyCola has partnered as the official clothing sponsor for the team.
