Basketball league begins for Jakarta students<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Elementary school and junior high school students in Jakarta
\nwill compete in the Wall's Junior Basketball League starting on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Games for the league, which will run until Dec. 5, will be
\nstaged in Central Jakarta, North Jakarta, South Jakarta, East
\nJakarta and West Jakarta. Teams from 51 elementary and junior
\nhigh schools will take part in the league.<\/p>\n
Both boys and girls' teams will take part in the junior high
\nschool competition, while the elementary school competition will
\nfeature only boys' teams.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) chief of
\ndevelopment Bella Harahap hailed the formations of the league,
\nsaying it was a welcome development given the lack of basketball
\ncompetitions for young players.<\/p>\n
"Most of the basketball competitions held in this country are
\nfor high school and university students. Therefore, we have
\ndecided to hold this junior competition with a view toward
\ntapping young talents," Bella said here on Monday.<\/p>\n
The opening round of the league will be a round-robin event,
\nwith the top teams qualifying for the finals from Nov. 30 to Dec.
\n5. A total of Rp 72 million (US$8,000) in cash prizes will be up
\nfor grabs.<\/p>\n
Event director Sriwijaya said the number of participating
\nschools could have been greater, but the organizers decided to
\nadmit only those schools recommended by the basketball
\nassociation.<\/p>\n
"Our invitations were based on recommendations from Perbasi,
\nthe Jakarta Education Agency and the Jakarta Sports Agency. These
\nrecommendations were based on each school's performance in
\nbasketball competitions in their areas," Sriwijaya said.<\/p>\n
"We had to limit the number of participants in the event due
\nto the tight schedule for basketball competitions in the
\ncountry," he said.<\/p>\n
The league winners will represent Jakarta at the 2005 National
\nStudent Basketball Competition in January.<\/p>",
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