Methika to lead Sri Lanka at FIBA U18 Asia Cup

Standing (From left): Tharuka Jayasundara, Methika Jayasinghe (Captain), Eveen Senarathna (Vice-Captain), Dewnila Wickramarachchi, Sudam Liyanage, Chamindu Wijesinghe, Sihath Kalatuwage, Ranik de Silva, Adrian Wijayawardena and Dahan Widyarathna. Squatting (From left): Dion Thevakumar, Theekshana Ferdinando, Darren Bernard, Dhiluk Samarawickrama, Nathan Jayasekara and Jude Akash

By Susil Premalal  

Methika Jayasinghe of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo will lead Sri Lanka at the four-nation FIBA Under-18 Asia Cup South Asian Qualifiers from July 10 to 13 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.

India, Bangladesh, Maldives and hosts Sri Lanka will be competing in the SABA (South Asian Basketball Association) Qualifiers with the winners qualifying for the FIBA Under-18 Asia Cup.  

Josephian Skipper Jayasinghe is an accomplished power forward who has led his school to several victories in various age categories, including the 2022 All-Island School Games Basketball Tournament. 

He has also been awarded the MVP (Most Valuable Player) multiple times competing in the senior age category.

Jayasinghe powered St. Joseph’s to the Under-18 ‘A’ Division championship in 2022 and the Under-20 ‘A’ Division championship in 2024. In both these tournaments, conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Basketball Association, he won the award for the Best Player. 

He was also a member of the Colombo Team, which emerged champions in the 2023 Army Commander’s Challenge Trophy Inter-Club Basketball Tournament.  

Meanwhile, centre Eveen Senarathna of D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo will be the Vice-Captain of the 16-member Sri Lanka Squad, which includes four reserve players.

Sri Lanka’s first match will be against India at 6.30 p.m. on July 10.

The Sri Lanka Under-18 Basketball Squad: Methika Jayasinghe (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo), Eveen Senarathna (D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo), Dion Thevakumar (St. Benedict’s College), Darren Bernard (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo), Dhiluk Samarawickrama (Melbourne High School), Chamindhu Wijesinghe (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo), Sudam Liyanage (Ananda College, Colombo), Adrian Wijayawardena (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo), Nathan Jayasekera (Wesley College), Tharuka Jayasundara (Royal College, Colombo), Dewnila Wickramarachchi (Lyceum, Wattala) and Jude Akash (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo). 

Reserves: Theekshana Ferdinando (Wesley College), Dahan Widyarathna (Lyceum, Wattala), Sihath Kalatuwage (MacKillop Catholic College, Werribee) and Ranik de Silva (L. P. F. Academy). 

Coaches: Roshan Randima and Shane Daniels.

The fixtures: 
10 July: Maldives v Bangladesh and Sri Lanka v India. 11 July: India v Maldives and Bangladesh v Sri Lanka. 12 July: Bangladesh v India and Sri Lanka v Maldives. 13 July: semi-finals and final.