Indonesian basketball season to start<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian basketball league will introduce
\na relegation system when the new season of competition starts at
\nthe end of this month in Surabaya, East Java.<\/p>\n
League secretary Deddy Gumbiro said yesterday that a second
\ndivision will, from now on, run together with the primary league,
\nwhich features 10 teams.<\/p>\n
The top two teams from the second division will meet the two
\nbottom teams from the premier division in playoff games, vying
\nfor two places in the President Cup race next season.<\/p>\n
\"We expect to set up a more competitive season, in which we
\ncan find players who will represent Indonesian in international
\nevents,\" Deddy said.<\/p>\n
However, the new plan faces a blow as league administrators
\nhave yet to make sufficient entries for the second division
\nleague. \"Only four teams have confirmed their participation so
\nfar,\" said Deddy.<\/p>\n
The administrators are expecting to stage a 10-field, second
\ndivision league in a round-robin competition. Deddy said he hoped
\nto complete the lineup for the second division league by the end
\nof this month.<\/p>\n
Foreign cagers will continue their pivotal role in boosting
\nthe performance of local talents in the incoming season of the
\nfirst division league. Local TV station SCTV, which has been
\nnamed the agent of import players, has injected six new recruits
\ninto the 10 premiership sides.<\/p>\n
Defending champion Hadtex of Bandung, West Java has hired Ray
\nKelly, while fellow Bandung side Siliwangi recruited Charles
\nJones. Indonesia Muda of Jakarta picked Trasel Rone and last
\nyear's runner-up Aspac got Askia Jones. GJ Hunter goes to Pacific
\nof Surabaya and Alvin Brown joins another Surabaya club CLS.<\/p>\n
Another two imported players, Paul Johnson, expected to
\nspearhead Bima Sakti of Malang, East Java and Keith Kelly, bound
\nto Pelita Jaya, canceled their Indonesian debut due to injuries.<\/p>\n
The season will be split into four legs, played successively
\nin Surabaya from May 20 to May 25, Jakarta from July 4 to July 9,
\nBandung from July 18 to July 23 and Malang from Aug. 29 to Sept.
\n3.<\/p>\n
Four top teams will qualify for the finals, to be held from
\nSept. 29 to Oct. 1, in Jakarta. (amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesian-basketball-season-to-start-1447893297",
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