Mahaka outlasts IM Texmaco 68-64

JAKARTA (JP): Mahaka Satria Muda produced some sweet revenge as it beat Indonesia Muda (IM) Texmaco with a narrow 68-66 in the opening match of the third leg of 2000 Nuvo Kobatama national basketball league on Saturday.

Falling behind almost throughout the Jakarta derby, Mahaka turned the tables on IM, thanks to a decisive steal by Dwui Eriano, who then sank the ball to give his team a slight 66-65 lead just 25 seconds before the final buzzer.

Two free throws from Amran A. Sinta extended the gap to 68-65 with 16 seconds left, and it looked like the game was over at IM's expense.

With victory within sight for Mahaka, a foul by Amran five seconds afterward, however, rekindled IM's hopes. But guard Lucky Pinontoan wasted that very last chance, as only one of three free throws was on target.

In the day's other game, Bandung-based Panasia Indosyntec beat Pacific Caesar of Surabaya 116-97. Panasia's senior player I Gde Agus Wahyudi was named the Most Valuable Player of the match.

Mahaka lost to IM in the first leg in Malang, East Java, and had eagerly waited Saturday's rematch.

IM's new coach M. Rifky had no excuse for his squad's nervy performance in the dying minutes. "It is a basketball game after all," he said.

He added his team could not maintain their pace during the 4x12 minutes and lost their control only at the end of the game.

"Their performance is up and down. I had expected us to reach our top form throughout the game, but we lost the rhythm," he said.

He refused to lay the blame on Doni, who let the ball slip out of his fingers in a tussle with Dwui.

"Doni did not do it on purpose. Such a failure is normal in a game," Rifky said.

Mahaka's Wahyu Widayat was elected the Most Valuable Player of the match.

Mahaka's general manager Erick Thohir regretted the way the referee handled the match.

"When Dwui moved to block an IM player, the referee awarded our opponents free throws although he did not even touch the net. Not long after that, Wahyu did the lay-up and Doni touched him, but the referee did not call him.

"The last foul was very flagrant but there was no response from the referee. I shouted from the court side; I jeered the referee with obscene words and I was ready at that time for a technical foul. But it did not happen.

"I just wonder how can we improve our basketball if the referees are all like that" he said. (ivy)