Phinisi and Art Deco: New Proliga champions
Imanuddin, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Experience was likely the key factor which brought home team Jakarta Phinisi its victory in the 2003 Proliga Volleyball League men's final on Sunday.
As technically and physically Phinisi was equal to its opponent Surabaya Flame, it was their experience and calmness that contributed most toward the Jakartans' success.
Playing with more senior than junior players on the team, Jakarta Phinisi defeated the visiting team from Surabaya, which was dominated by young guns, in a thrilling five-set game in 104 minutes.
Easily taking the first two sets, scoring 25-23 and 25-20 in 20 and 23 minutes, respectively, the home players slowed down and eased their pressure on the visitors.
The Surabaya Flame players took advantage of the opportunity and began to lead the race for points.
Spurred on by the tenacious performance of its three young spikers Hadi Ismanto, Susilo and Jony S., the visitors took the third and fourth sets -- scoring 25-20 and 25-22 -- to level the score to 2-2.
They continued their lead into the fifth set, until Jakarta Phinisi slowly chased down and tied the score at 12-12. The Surabayans faced the challenge and reached 14 before the Jakartans evened the score yet again.
It was during this critical period that the Jakartans' calmness, an irreplaceable quality of veteran players, gave them the leverage to the crown.
In the first final of the day, Bandung Art Deco found no difficulties in defeating Gresik Phonska in one hour and 13 minutes to claim the women's crown.
The Bandung-based team outclassed the Gresik team in straight sets, scoring 25-18, 25-17 and 25-13.
Art Deco's easy victory was largely due to the superb performance of its two foreign players, Li Wen and He Shan, from China.
Li Wen -- the tallest player in the women's division at 187 centimeters (6 feet, 3 inches) -- whose spikes and deft dink shots raced by the East Javanese players without even a hint of a block, provided most of Bandung Art Deco's points.
Tough opposition by Gresik Phonska could only be observed in the first set, when the serve switched sides several times before Bandung called it at 25-18.
As the Gresik team lacked variety in their attacks, Bandung easily took the second and third sets in 17 and 13 minutes, respectively, to claim the trophy.
Both Jakarta Phinisi and Bandung Art Deco are first-time champions, with last year's champions -- Bandung Tectona and Jakarta Monas -- were defeated in the semifinals on Friday. Bandung Tectona fell to Surabaya Flame, while Jakarta Monas surrendered to Bandung Art Deco.