SINGAPORE: Mar 29, 7.20PM – The Sri Lanka basketball team put up a strong fight against reigning Asian champions Mongolia in a thrilling match at the FIFA 3X3 Asia Cup held in Singapore. Despite their efforts, Sri Lanka was edged out in overtime, with Mongolia securing a narrow 15-13 victory after the score was tied at 13 in regular time.
This marked Sri Lanka’s first appearance in the Main Draw of the Asia Cup, a significant milestone for the team. Despite being tied at 13-all during the regulation 10-minute match, Sri Lanka couldn’t secure the win and eventually fell to Mongolia in the extended two-minute overtime period.
Mongolia, who represented the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, took an early lead against Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lanka managed to narrow the gap to 7-6 by the sixth minute of play. Simron Yoganathan’s excellent shooting helped Sri Lanka equalize for the first time at 3:45 minutes into the match. This game was Sri Lanka’s first in the Main Draw after an unbeaten run in the Qualifying Rounds, winning all three games.
The match remained intense, with Sri Lanka leveling the score again at 10-all. Ruskshan Atapattu’s crucial shot tied the game at 13-all during the main 10 minutes, forcing the match into overtime. Despite their valiant efforts, Sri Lanka ultimately succumbed to Mongolia, who secured the win with a final score of 15-13.
In their second Main Draw match in Pool ‘B’, Sri Lanka’s lineup, consisting of Pawan Gamage, Simron Yoganathan, Ruskshan Atapattu, and Dasun Mendis, faced Thailand and suffered a 21-9 defeat.
In Pool ‘B’, defending champions Mongolia lead with 35 points from two wins, followed by Thailand with one win also accumulating 35 points. Sri Lanka, unfortunately, ended their Asia Cup journey with two losses and 22 points.
The results were disappointing for Sri Lanka, especially considering their unbeaten streak in the qualifying rounds. However, the experience gained will undoubtedly contribute to their growth as a team, and they have the potential to become a formidable force in future competitions.
