Asian International School (AIS) stormed into the finals of the Inter-International Schools Under-19 Basketball Championship after five long years, defeating the strong Colombo International School (CIS) 68-63 in a thrilling semifinal encounter played at the Olympus Sports Complex in Malabe yesterday. The tournament is organised by The International Schools of Sri Lanka (TISSL).
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With this victory, AIS will meet Gateway College Colombo in the grand final tonight at 7.30 p.m. at the Gateway College Colombo Basketball Courts in Rajagiriya.
What makes this AIS achievement remarkable is that the entire team has been built through the school’s own basketball programme. None of the players are scholarship entrants — every member has been part of AIS since kindergarten, rising through the school’s system with dedication and teamwork.
Under the guidance of coach former national coach Ajith Kuruppu, and supported by Head of Sports Ms. Nihara Bagoos, and basketball teachers Ms. Gimhani Gamage and Ms. Sanduni Manchanayake, the AIS cagers displayed great discipline, stamina, and strategic play to earn their long-awaited return to the finals.
The 12-member AIS squad is led by captain Shrenik Kagoo and includes the school’s overall basketball captain Methun Wijendra, who also represented Sri Lanka as a power forward at the FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup SABA Qualifiers earlier this year. The rest of the team comprises Shanil Abeysinghe, Ashen de Silva, Pharthiv Dhineshkumar, Ashkenz Gunasekera, Ibrahim Mushtaq, Ashen Hewage, Tinuka Rodrigo, Sarvesh Kugananathan and Hirun Abayarathna.
As the championship reaches its climax tonight, AIS will aim to reclaim the title they last contested five years ago, while Gateway College will look to extend their winning streak in the TISSL basketball circuit.