Defending champion Panasia shoots for Kobatama hat trick
Defending champion Panasia shoots for Kobatama hat trick
JAKARTA (JP): Defending champion Panasia Indosyntec is out for
its third consecutive crown in the A Mild Kobatama national
basketball league.
"I want Panasia to win this year's Kobatama title. I want my
club to create a hat trick because if we can win the title three
times, the trophy will be ours," said Panasia's leading center
Saut Lambok Johnson.
Panasia won Kobatama in 1997 and 1998; it also won the 1994
Kobatama under the name Hadtex, which it changed the following
year.
The Bandung-based club's team manager, Danny Kosasih, said:
"Panasia as a textile company will give the team Rp 100 million
(US$13,745) if it can win the league. Our players will also
receive extra money from the Bandung community if they can bring
home the basketball league's trophy."
Panasia will be challenged in reaching its ambition by
hometown favorite Aspac, which won the league in 1995 and 1996.
Aspac senior point guard Antonius "Inal" F. Rinaldo said: "We
are ready to be the champion. We have entered the final and
there's no turning back."
When asked about the amount of his bonus, Inal said curtly, "I
will answer that later".
Four favorite teams -- Panasia, Aspac, Mahaka Satria Muda (SM)
and Bhinneka Sritex -- engaged in a war of words at a news
conference on Thursday prior to the final games at Senayan Indoor
Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.
Final four first-timers Mahaka SM and Bhinneka, which finished
10th and fifth respectively last year, are also hoping to have
their names engraved on the trophy.
SM senior center Fictor G. Roring said: "We want to show to
the world that Mahaka has players with winning spirit. We want
everybody to recognize us. We want to play our best and God will
do the rest."
Wahyudi from Surakarta-based Bhinneka said: "Aspac has been a
regular finalist for the league, while we aren't. But with our
new team of coaches, we are sure that we can win."
Speaking about the bonus, Wahyudi said it would help motivate
the team.
"I know all players on this team need money. We will play all
out then."
During the last league of the century, Panasia will take on SM
while Bhinneka will challenge Aspac.
The semifinals will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The final
will start at 4 p.m. on Sunday after playoff for third and fourth
place, scheduled at 1:30 p.m..
Privately owned TV station SCTV will broadcast the semifinals
and final live. The semifinals will also feature entertainment
from pop singer Melly Manuhutu and rapper Iwa K. Tickets are sold
from Rp 10,000 and Rp 15,000. (ivy)