Aspac routs Mahaka 60-49 to extend winning streak<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Aspac maintained its 100 percent win record in
\nthe 2000 Nuvo Kobatama basketball league on Monday with a 60-49
\nrout of defending champion Mahaka Satria Muda.<\/p>\n
The result strengthened Aspac's lead in the nine-field
\ntournament with 20 points after winning all its 10 games so far.
\nAspac is the only unbeaten team so far in the third leg of the
\nleague.<\/p>\n
But Aspac got off to a shaky start on Monday, falling 15-18
\nafter the first quarter. Fielding most of its towering players,
\nAspac let Mahaka steal many of its scoring chances.<\/p>\n
The second quarter saw Aspac struggle all the way to close the
\ngap, but Mahaka maintained the pace to lead Aspac 32-29 going
\ninto the third quarter.<\/p>\n
Playing before the crowd of some 1,000, who included chairman
\nof the Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) Sutiyoso,
\nWahyu Widayat extended Mahaka's lead to 34-29. Bayu Radityo also
\nscored to keep the game under the defending champion's control.<\/p>\n
Suko Waluyo led Aspac's fightback with a well-angled three-
\npointer that reduced the margin by just two points. Aspac needed
\na gamely effort from Cokorda Satria Wibawa, who converted a point
\nfrom a Ferry Rinaldo's assist to even the tie at 36-36.<\/p>\n
From that moment on, Aspac took over the command. Rinaldo
\nscored from a short pass fed by Cokorda to put their team ahead
\nfor the first time in the match at 38-36.<\/p>\n
Top scorer Rinaldo grabbed another point to stretch Aspac's
\nlead, before Amran A. Sinta scored a three-pointer to close the
\ngap at 40-39 just before the third quarter ended.<\/p>\n
The final quarter belonged to Aspac. It intensified its
\ndefensive zone, which proved effective to keep Mahaka's attacks
\nat bay.<\/p>\n
Sensing a defeat ahead, Mahaka players began to lose their
\nself control. They committed many fouls which awarded Aspac a
\nseries of free throws. Riko Hantono successfully executed eight
\nthrows while Inal, as Rinaldo is fondly called, scored five out
\nof seven chances from free throws.<\/p>\n
Aspac's team manager Irawan Haryono admitted that his team
\nfailed to concentrate in the first and second quarters.<\/p>\n
\"They (Mahaka) performed well but they were not good in the
\nfinishing touch. In the last two quarters, we intensified our
\ndefense because we knew they would find it difficult to break it
\nthrough,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mahaka's coach Rastafari H. Madjid praised Aspac for being
\nwell prepared for the game.<\/p>\n
\"Aspac did not lose control over the whole match. They played
\nconsistently. We failed to dictate the game and our opponents.
\nAll of our players were eager to make points and were too hasty,\"
\nRastafari said.<\/p>\n
Inal, who was elected the Most Valuable Player of the match,
\nattributed his team's victory to its composure.<\/p>\n
\"Mahaka's supporters tried to distract our concentration with
\ntheir noise. But we had become used to it.\" (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aspac-routs-mahaka-60-49-to-extend-winning-streak-1447893297",
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