Wismilak CLS retains league title for 5th time
JAKARTA (JP): Wismilak CLS of Surabaya proved itself the real champion after a 45-42 victory over home team Mahaputri Aspac in the final of the 2000 Rexona women's Kobatama national basketball league on Saturday.
With the result, CLS has retained the league title for five consecutive years plus the 1999 Megawati Soekarnoputri Cup.
In an earlier game, Rajawali of Bandung defeated Sahabat of Surabaya 58-52 to claim third place at Sumantri Brodjonegoro sports hall on Jl. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta.
CLS' senior player Sherly Humardani was named the best stealer and center Vivi Puspa Sari as the top scorer of the league. Mahaputri's captain Puspa Indah Pamungkasari was announced as the Most Valuable Player.
Tasia Albertina of Rajawali was named the top rebounder and her senior, Joan Suryana, was the top assist player. Law Siau Fei of Sahabat Surabaya was named the top blocker.
The Cup was handed over to CLS team by the chairman of the Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.
Sahabat, led by seasoned women's player, Endang Suharsari, led Rajawali in the first quarter but unfortunately it was short of good shooters.
Rajawali's point guard Jane Johan scored 10 points and Ciauliana contributed two other to end the first quarter 17-11. Jane and Ciauliana were members of the West Java women's basketball team in the 2000 National Games (PON) in June.
It was Jane who helped her club to move ahead in the second quarter. She added nine points to take Rajawali ahead 30-21. Rajawali's center, Yenny Arlina, rebounded well and scored seven points. Ciauliana contributed two points.
In the next quarter, Endang started to heat up and made nine points but her teammate failed to contribute. She made 10 rebounds but the team could not keep up with Rajawali.
Sahabat scored 18 points to narrow the loss while Rajawali was adding 13 but Sahabat could not catch Rajawali, which extended its lead in the third quarter 43-39.
Rajawali then started its shooting spree. Yenny was awarded two free throws which brought her team to 49-43.
Sahabat's coach M. Arifin blamed his team loss to inexperience.
"Only Endang has experience playing on the national team. The others are young and the team was only organized a few months before the league started," he said after the match.
"I'm quite satisfied with the team's performance because we can avoid relegation. But I'm not happy with the result. We should have won," he said.
While Rajawali coach Suryanti expressed her hope that the team's performance could attract sponsors.
"We are purely amateur. We can't buy high profile players or shower the players with bonuses when they win," she said, adding that the team had improved its rank from fourth last year to third. (ivy)