Phinisi and Art Deco: New Proliga champions
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.