Aspac Texmaco to host SEABA championship

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.