Pelita Jaya Jakarta coach Justin Tatum admitted that the defeat to Satria Muda in the first game of the semifinals was a valuable lesson for his team to bounce back and appear dominant in the second game, which ended with a landslide victory of 92–58.
In the match held at the Soemantri Brodjonegoro Sports Hall in Jakarta on Saturday, Pelita Jaya performed solidly from start to finish, forcing a third match to be played to determine a ticket to the 2025 IBL final.
Tatum said that the previous defeat was actually a turning point for the team's revival.
"I think the key factor was that we learned a lesson on Thursday. They pressured us, and they found their rhythm and became a formidable team," Tatum said.
“And after that we came back, we did everything we could to force a third game.”
