Palestine cruised to a 121-63 victory over Sri Lanka in the FIBA Asia Cup on Thursday evening, extending their superiority over the hosts in a contest that never really had a doubt. The guests, who had previously beaten Sri Lanka 129-74 in February 2021, made it three wins from three meetings between the sides with this emphatic display.
Things came to a head early as Palestine's defence swarmed the ball, racking up 21 steals compared to Sri Lanka's paltry six. The hosts never found any rhythm, committing 27 turnovers while Palestine kept theirs to just nine. By then, the visitors had already closed the game out, running up a 58-point margin that spoke volumes about the gulf in quality.
Shooting statistics told the full story. Palestine hit 43 of 88 field goals at nearly 49 per cent, while Sri Lanka managed only 28 from 78 attempts. The disparity was even starker from beyond the arc, where Palestine made 13 of 38 three-pointers against Sri Lanka's 7 from 25. Free throws painted an equally bleak picture for the hosts, who somehow failed to convert a single attempt.
Defensive presence on the glass and around the rim showed another dimension to Palestine's control. They recorded eight blocks and 35 defensive rebounds to Sri Lanka's zero blocks and 29 defensive rebounds. The assist figures were level at 15 each, but Palestine's ball movement came with far fewer mistakes. Personal fouls reflected the difference in composure too, with Sri Lanka picking up 18 to Palestine's eight.
The result puts further pressure on Sri Lanka's campaign after they had booked a victory over Maldives earlier in the tournament with a 107-65 scoreline. That match, while comfortable, now looks like an outlier against the consistent level of opposition they face. Palestine, meanwhile, continue to build momentum with wins over Kyrgyzstan and consistent performances against regional rivals.
At 121-63, the final scoreline tells you everything about a match where Palestine never got dragged out of position and Sri Lanka never found their footing. The gap in points difference could prove crucial in the standings, and this result certainly closes the door on any Sri Lankan hopes of mounting a surprise run.