Aspac beats Pacific to move closer to semis

Aspac beats Pacific to move closer to semis

BANDUNG (JP): Jakarta-based Aspac was too powerful for Pacific
Caesar of Surabaya, posting a convincing 104-67 victory in the
fourth leg of the 2000 Nuvo Kobatama national basketball league
at Padjadjaran Stadium on Wednesday.

Aspac, which finished in third place last year, has lost only
once in its 15 games to top the standings. It is followed by
home-favorite Panasia Indosyntec, Mahaka and Indonesia Muda (IM)
Texmaco.

The top four clubs will advance to the semifinal round in
Jakarta on Nov. 18 and Nov. 19.

Pacific remains in seventh place with a record of four wins
and 11 losses. Bima Sakti Nikko Steel of Malang stands eighth
after winning five of 14 games and another Jakarta-based club,
Dwidasa Mitra, is in the cellar with three wins and 11 losses.

Aspac did not give Pacific an opportunity to get into the
game, racing to a 20-7 first-quarter lead. Pacific managed to
score 18 points in the second quarter, but still went into the
half trailing 42-25.

At the end of the third quarter, Pacific was facing an
insurmountable 76-44 deficit.

Aspac manager Irawan Haryono said his team was ready to face
anybody in the semifinals.

"All the clubs advancing to the semis have equal skills. The
most important thing is that we are already well-prepared for the
final match."

Aspac still has to face Panasia Indosyntec on Friday, a game
which will determine who will go into the semifinals at the top
of the table.

"If we can beat Panasia ... we are still on top. But if we
fail, we will move down to second place," Irawan said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Bima Sakti earned two points after
surprising Mahaka 83-81. It was Mahaka's third upset loss here
and if Mahaka loses its game against Pacific Caesar on Friday, it
will move down to fourth place.

IM assured its place in the semifinals with an 86-57 defeat of
Wismilak CLS of Surabaya late on Tuesday.

IM is safely in fourth place after winning eight of its 15
games. CLS, which stands in fifth place with five wins and nine
loses, will have to wait until next year to try and advance to
the semifinals.

"I'm very satisfied because I fulfilled my goal as a coach to
lead my team to the semifinals," said M. Rifky, a former IM
player who took over as coach this year. (ivy)