Basketball players need to break psychological barrier

Basketball players need to break psychological barrier

By Ivy Susanti

JAKARTA (JP): Although basketball is one of the most popular
sport in Indonesia, many people still doubt it can win the
country medals in the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei
Darussalam next month.

History has recorded that ever since basketball was included
in the biennial event in 1977, it could only contribute three
bronze: from the women's team in Manila, the Philippines, in
1991, and in Jakarta in 1997; and from the men's team in
Singapore in 1993.

Based on this, the women's team is the most suitable to fight
in this year's game and contributes to the medal tally. But,
unfortunately, the organizer has not included the women's event.

Officials from the National Sports Council had doubted earlier
that basketball could contribute medals in the Games, citing poor
physical test results as the main reason.

But in June, Moch. Hindarto, Indonesian chef de mission,
expressed confidence that basketball players would make an effort
to win silver as pledged and that they were proven to be serious
in their training.

Two years ago, the Indonesian men's team was the last of the
final four participating countries after its defeat from
Thailand. The gold went to Asian strongman the Philippines, after
defeating the Malaysian team.

This year, five players who have playing experience in the
1997 SEA Games, are enlisted in the squad. The five players are
Ali Budimansyah, Cokorda Raka Satria Wibawa, Johanis Winar, Rommy
Chandra and Tri Adyatna Adi Loka.

The SEA Games squad held several simulation tournaments with
local clubs before leaving for the Philippines to take part in
the six-day Southeast Asian Basketball Association championship,
which started on July 2. The simulation also served as the
selection means to set up the main squad.

In the first simulation in Bandung last May, the SEA Games
squad trounced the local team, which comprised players from
Panasia Indosyntec, Siliwangi, Mitra Guntur and Halim Kediri
clubs.

In the second simulation, which started on June 17, the SEA
Games squad challenged Indonesia's top clubs Mahaka Satria Muda,
Aspac and Indonesia Muda Texmaco. But they were too strong for
the teams.

During the A-Mild One Day Championship here on June 27, the
first SEA Games team, comprising Saut Lambok Johnson, Tri Adyatna
Adi Loka, I Made Sudiadyana, I Gde Agus Wahyudi, Johanis Winar
and Oktoviarrow Tamtelahitu surprisingly lost to Aspac. The
second team of the SEA Games squad, however, overran Panasia
Indosyntec.

Skills

In team manager Danny Kosasih's opinion, the team needs to
improve its defense skills and break a psychological barrier of
being afraid to lose. Some players, he said, needed to improve
the zone defense skill, that allows a player to protect a
designated area of the floor rather than marking another player.

"They also have to improve their rebounding skills. We are
very poor in out-of-bounds shooting," he said.

But the most important thing, he said, was that the team
should overcome its mental attitude of being afraid to lose. "The
SEA Games teams are always tired when competing with a local
club, although they could overcome their opponents. I found out
that they are afraid of losing," he said.

After returning from the Philippines, he said Indonesia was
still third, after the Philippine and Singapore. Other countries
like Malaysia and Thailand had equal strength with Indonesia, he
said.

Team lineup

Point guards: Ali Budimansyah, Oktoviarrow Tamtelahitu

Power Forwards: Antonius Joko Endratmo, I Made Sudiadyana, Rommy

Chandra, Tri Adyatna Adi Loka

Centers: Cokorda Raka Satria Wibawa, Saut Lambok Johnson
Shooting guards: Hardono Putro, I Gde Agus Wahyudi, Johanis
Winar, Riko Hantono