Basketball clubs gear up for national league

Basketball clubs gear up for national league

JAKARTA (JP): Five basketball clubs are preparing their
athletes for the first of five series in the 1999 A Mild National
Basketball League Kobatama from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5 at Bima Sakti
Sports Complex in Cirebon, West Java.

The clubs are Aspac, Indonesia Muda (IM) Texmaco, Citra Satria
Pelita, Mahakam Satria Muda (SM), all from Jakarta, and Siliwangi
of Bandung, West Java. They are grouped in the Daktarin division.

The competition, which will end on Nov. 20, will also hold
other series in Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bandung and Jakarta.

Managers of four clubs, IM Texmaco, Citra Satria Pelita,
Mahakam SM and Siliwangi, said at a media briefing on Thursday
that their players had intensified training for the league to
avoid relegation.

Lexi Rohi of IM Texmaco maintained a low profile saying that
his team faced difficulties in providing 12 players which would
compete in the first series.

The new rule states a club must have 12 players for one series
and can only change their lineup for other series.

"This year's league will be tougher since only top teams are
competing. We aim to stay at third place, like we did in the last
Kobatama, but we'll try to reach the finals to win the league,"
he said.

However, IM Texmaco should not be too worried on its chances
in the first series because it has two national players, Rommy C.
Chandra and Ocky Tamtelahitu, who competed in the 20th Southeast
Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam two weeks ago.

But defending champion Aspac has more in store. With three SEA
Games participants, Cokorda Satria Wibawa, Riko Hantono and Tri
Adyana Adi Loka, it has the best chance to retain its title.

Coach Tjetjep Firmansyah and assistant Mayckel S.D.
Ferdinandus proved themselves by winning the bronze in the Games
amid skepticism from the sports community.

Unfortunately, Aspac officials did not show up at the
conference.

Allan Darwis of Citra Satria Pelita said his players, who have
had intensive training, would try to remain in the main division.

"We didn't give them a target. Our club has just changed its
management. Maybe next year we will set a high target," he said.

The club is 80 percent newcomers with only two seniors, Jose
Rizal and Nano Sukarma, who had experience in playing with the
first division club.

Erick Thohir of Mahaka SM said his club had started
centralized training programs on Aug. 20 in preparation for the
league.

"We were in 10th place last year. Insya Allah (with God's
will), we will improve the results this year. We have arranged a
special training program and we have our own medical team. We
hope the players will make an all-out effort in their
performance," he said.

Anhar Iskandar of Siliwangi club said the league would also
serve as a warm-up tournament for West Java basketball players
before competition in the 15th National Games (PON) next year in
Surabaya. (ivy)