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)