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 10 to 13 July.

India, Bangladesh, Maldives, and hosts Sri Lanka will be competing in the SABA (South Asian Basketball Association) qualifiers at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The winners will qualify for the FIBA U18 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 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.  

Centre Eveen Senarathna of D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo will be 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 10 July.

The Sri Lanka Under 18 squad:

Methika Yumeth Ransana Jayasinghe (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo) Power Forward

Eveen Senarathna (D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo) Centre

Dion Zeno Thevakumar (St. Benedict's College) Forward

⁠Darren Bernard (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo) Point Guard

⁠Dhiluk Samarawickrama (Melbourne High School) Point Guard

Chamindhu Wijesinghe (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo) Centre

⁠Sudam Liyanage (Ananda College, Colombo) Centre

⁠Adrian Wijayawardena (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo) Forward

⁠Nathan Anuhas Jayasekera (Wesley College, Colombo) Point Guard

⁠Tharuka Bandara Jayasundara (Royal College, Colombo) Forward

⁠Dewnila Wickramarachchi (Lyceum International School, Wattala) Power Forward/Centre

⁠Jude Akash (St. Joseph's College, Colombo) Forward

Reserves:

Theekshana Malan Ferdinando (Wesley College, Colombo) Forward

⁠Dahan Widyarathna (Lyceum International School, Wattala) Forward

⁠Sihath Kalatuwage (MacKillop Catholic College, Werribe) Forward/Power Forward

⁠Ranik Damian de Silva (L.P.F Academy) Power forward

Coaches: 

Roshan Randima and Shane Daniels

Team Managers: Prasad and Hashendra

FIBA U18 Asia Cup SABA Qualifiers fixtures

10 July

16.00 – Maldives vs. Bangladesh

18.30 – Sri Lanka vs. India

11 July

16.00 – India vs. Maldives

18.30 – Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka

12 July

16.00 – Bangladesh vs. India

18.30 – Sri Lanka vs. Maldives

13 July

16.00 – Semifinal

18.30 – Final