Gateway grabs basketball prize fifth time running

Back row from left: Nethsara Perera, Thinura Dissanayake, Jonathan Herath, Areeb Fareen, Shanilka Rodrigo, Dhanuka Wijegooneratne. Middle row from left: Adeesa Liyanage, Ashain Theverapperuma, Julan Senmitha, Navidu Waduwavala, Samuel Tsung, Akain Vitanachchy, Vihas Ranawake, Taresh Samarasinghe. Front row from left: Fawzan Tariq (co-ordinator), Vinita Shenoy (principal), Dr. Harsha Alles (chairman), Dulain Thevarapperuma (captain), Tharindu Fernando (head coach)

Gateway College once again stamped their dominance in the schools’ basketball arena by winning the International Schools Under-17 Basketball Tournament organised by Colombo International School. 

In a remarkable achievement, the victory marked the fifth consecutive time that Gateway College became champions, underlining their sustained excellence, discipline and depth of talent.

Gateway delivered a flawless campaign, displaying tactical maturity, defensive resilience and attacking flair from the group stages right through to the final. In the group matches, Gateway set the tone early with emphatic victories. They won 65–27 against Gateway College Kandy (GCK) and had a convincing 62–24 triumph over the British School in Colombo (BSC).

Carrying this momentum into the knockout stages, Gateway continued their relentless form. In the quarter-finals, they outplayed Horizon College International with a solid 50–25 victory, followed by an impressive 75–40 win against Elizabeth Moir School (EMS) in the semi-finals.

The high-intensity final, played at the Olympus Indoor Stadium, Malabe, made Gateway College Colombo face hosts Colombo International School (CISC). At this high-energy and competitive encounter, Gateway showcased their championship pedigree, securing a well-earned 79–64 victory to lift the title once again.

Gateway’s success was further highlighted by outstanding individual performances. The Best Defensive Player was Dulain Theverapperuma whose defensive awareness and consistency proved vital throughout the tournament while the Most Valuable Player was Navidu Waduwavala who was recognised for his all-round excellence, leadership on court and ability to influence crucial moments.