Aspac Texmaco to host SEABA championship
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After winning the national basketball league for the third consecutive year, Aspac Texmaco will likely host a regional competition in Jakarta next year.
"It's probable that we will host the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) championship. We have contacted ABC (Asian Basketball Confederation) secretary-general (Yoo Chou- hok) and he's given the nod," Irawan, Aspac president, said here on Friday.
The SEABA championship is an annual basketball competition involving the champions from each country grouped in the Southeast Asian region.
Irawan did not give the timetable, but said the event would likely take place between March and June.
Aspac's best run in the tournament got them to third place in 1997. It fared worse in the 2001 event, ending up sixth.
Despite the prospect of playing the hosts for the 2002 tournament, Irawan was cautious about the team's prospects, saying that they would simply be looking for a place in the top four.
"Of course, we want the title or at least the runner-up spot. However, we will be vying for the top four first before mounting another fight for a possible higher position," Irawan said after a meeting between the team and Aspac patron Sutiyoso, who is also Jakarta governor, at the latter's office.
Coach Cecep Firmansyah confirmed two foreign players would join Aspac for the next season, but he refused to reveal their names and countries of origin.
Sutiyoso, also chairman of the Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) hailed Aspac's plan to host the SEABA championship, saying with a reference to the recent Bali bombing incident that the appearance of foreign teams in Jakarta would help the government in its campaign to restore international confidence in security here.
Aspac beat Mahaka Satria Muda in the final of the national premier basketball league (Kobatama) last month to win the title for the fourth time, and for its third time in a row since 2000. Before that it won the trophy in 1997.