Perbasi undecided on relegation

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) is uncertain whether there should be relegation for the teams who finished bottom in this year's league while top teams demanded that relegation should exist to maintain the league's quality.

Perbasi official in charge of Kobatama, Doeddie Gambiro, said on Tuesday that the decision would be made this week in a meeting with managers from ten clubs competing in the 1999 A Mild Kobatama national basketball league.

Two clubs, Dwidasa Mitra Guntur from Jakarta and Angsapura from Medan, North Sumatra, will compete for a berth in the main division on Wednesday and Friday.

"We have not decided whether the 9th and 10th rankings in this league will have to fight to escape relegation. But if all the clubs agree to include one more club to join Kobatama, there would be no relegation in the main division," Doeddie said.

Ten clubs from two divisions are competing in Kobatama. Until now, four clubs, Panasia Indosyntec, Aspac, Mahaka Satria Muda (SM) and Bhinneka Sritex have secured the final berths, while Citra Satria Pelita (CSP) and Siliwangi have finished ninth and tenth respectively and will likely face relegation.

"It's OK for me if there should be eleven clubs playing in next year's Kobatama. My main concern is how to pay for their board and lodgings, transportation and accommodation fees," Doeddie added.

Top clubs like Panasia and Aspac are strongly opposed to the plan to eliminate relegation, while Siliwangi are happy for it to be realized.

Panasia's team manager Danny Kosasih said that relegation would motivate teams to improve their performance in maintaining their existence in the league.

"If there is a team which is not equipped to play in Kobatama, it should be relegated," he said, adding that there was no rule to eliminate relegation procedures.

Aspac coach Tjetjep Firmansyah said that the relegation would give a chance to teams in the second division to perform in Kobatama.

"I don't agree if there is no relegation this year. I sympathize with a team in the second division who has prepared itself to compete in Kobatama but they can't go on because there are no promotional games. The bottom finishers in this league should be eliminated," he said.

Siliwangi coach Srigiyanto said that his players would still try to improve their skills although they would not be relegated.

"We will keep on fighting. We want to be better," he said.

Siliwangi recorded a total of fifteen losses and no wins after a 90-50 (41-25) defeat against Panasia in the fourth day's action of the league's sixth series at the Senayan basketball stadium on Tuesday. Panasia ranks second with 13 wins and three losses.

Aspac continues its success story by defeating Cahaya Lestari Surabaya (CLS) 63-51 (32-26) in the third game on Tuesday. Aspac tops the team standings with a record 15 wins and only one loss.

SM is safe in third position after overwhelming Bima Sakti Nikko Steel 49-39 (23-19). SM has clocked up 12 wins and four losses. In the last series, SM and Bhinneka are setting their strategy on their possible rivals in the final four. (ivy)