IM Texmaco takes revenge against CLS
IM Texmaco takes revenge against CLS
JAKARTA (JP): Raymond Manuhutu's two free throws in the
remaining 24 seconds brought Indonesia Muda (IM) Texmaco to a 68-
60 win over Cahaya Lestari Surabaya (CLS) on Wednesday.
Raymond scored eighth in the first half and added nine points
in the next to bring his team to victory in the fifth day of the
sixth series of the 1999 A Mild Kobatama national basketball
league at Senayan basketball hall. Teammate Indra Allen scored
the most with 18 points and made a total of 11 rebounds to win
the daily Most Valuable Player title.
IM lost to CLS 48-59 (30-30) in the third series in Surabaya,
East Java. On Wednesday, IM took the lead with 31-28 in the first
half and was unstoppable until the match ended.
The win, however, could not provide a chance for IM to enter
the final four disputes between Aspac, Panasia Indosyntec, Mahaka
Satria Muda and Bhinneka Sritex.
"There is no way for us to compete in this year's final,
although we could defeat Panasia tomorrow (Thursday)," said IM
coach Hakiem Rahman after the match.
"At least we can maintain our rank in the league. We have to
win at least four games to remain in our fifth position," he
said.
To win four games is not a difficult job for IM, who finished
third in 1998's league. IM won the two previous games against
Bima Sakti Nikko Steel and Bhinneka.
It will challenge the Bandung-based Panasia on Thursday and
Pacific Bank Swadesi of Surakarta, Central Java on Saturday. IM
has vowed to make a clean sweep in this series in exchange for
its poor performance in the first and third series.
In Surabaya, where the eastern division met the western, IM
won one out of the five games which dropped its rank.
In the second game, Bhinneka faced no difficulties in
defeating weak Siliwangi 77-41.
Meanwhile, Dwidasa Mitra Guntur of Jakarta did not break a
sweat to bring down Angsapura of Medan, North Sumatra 70-39 (42-
17) in the second division match. Both teams will meet again on
Friday night.
The best team will likely challenge ninth ranked Citra Satria
Pelita (CSP) and tenth ranked Siliwangi. The Indonesian
Basketball Association (Perbasi) has yet to set the date for the
match, which will see one team being relegated and another
promoted.
On Tuesday night, CSP lost to Pacific 48-57 (27-29). CSP seems
to have lost the fighting spirit after coping with three losses
in this series. It will play Bima Sakti Nikko Steel on Thursday
and CLS on Saturday but any wins will not move it from its bottom
position. (ivy)