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)