ASEAN Games Australia 2014: Indonesia takes home Women’s Basketball title

INDONESIAN women’s basketball team Merah Putih wrestled fierce competition to emerge victorious at this year’s ASEAN Games Australia. Faridah Wu reports.

ASEAN Games Australia, Women’s Basketball. Team Indonesia Merah Putih. Photo: Aun Ngo.

The Indonesia women’s basketball team, aptly named Merah Putih (“red and white”)  emerged champions on Sunday after a fierce competition against Malaysian team Corrupters at the ASEAN GAMES 2014 women’s basketball competition.

The final score was 48-28 for Merah Putih.

Merah Putih had battled Malaysian teams NEB and Ace to reach the finals that were held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC).

Team member Thea Magdalena said Merah Putih was formed before last year’s ASEAN Games Australia.

“Some of us did know each other before in Indonesia but we have never played in the same team.”

There were no hard feelings as team members from Merah Putih and Corrupters exchanged handshakes with each other and the referees at the end of the game.

Malaysian team Ace took the third place.

At the closing ceremony, runner-ups Corrupters and Ace were in high spirits as they gamely posed for photographs at the closing ceremony. They also had other reasons to celebrate, as members of the two teams won vouchers from official sponsors during the lucky draw.

Although NEB failed to place in the finals, the players weren’t too disappointed by their loss. The told Meld that the team was named NEB as a reference to the word “newbies”, as a number of players on the team had played little basketball.

Despite their inexperience, NEB received cheers from the audience during their match, with some familiar faces on the team from the ASEAN Games Australia’s organising committee, including basketball director Joe Yee Sham.

The ASEAN Games 2014 kicked off last Friday night with the women’s basketball competition at the Carlton Baths Community Centre.