Sarawak fight back to edge Melaka in women’s basketball

KUCHING: Sarawak secured their first victory in the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma) women’s basketball competition, defeating Melaka 65-58.

The game, held at 2pm at MBKS Stadium here today (Aug 16), was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams delivering fierce competition from start to finish.

Melaka took the early lead in the first quarter, leveraging strong offense and defense to finish 14-10 ahead.

Sarawak struggled to close the gap in the second quarter, trailing 36-23 at halftime.

 The third quarter saw a shift in momentum. Sarawak fought hard to catch up, but Melaka managed to maintain a slight edge, ending the quarter with a 49-46 lead.

The turning point came in the fourth quarter when Sarawak’s Jolin Ting Pei Wen nailed a crucial three-pointer, flipping the scoreboard to 52-49 in Sarawak’s favour at the 7:31 mark.

Sarawak, fueled by this shift, played with renewed intensity and in the final 10 seconds, team captain Khoo Yik Qiong sealed the win with two clutch free throws.

They were unsuccessful in their quest to win on Thursday against Negeri Sembilan, losing 54-67.

The home teams, men and women, will face Johor in two upcoming matches scheduled for 330pm and 530pm, Saturday (Aug 17).