Kobatama season due to start late August

Kobatama season due to start late August

JAKARTA (JP): The National basketball league (Kobatama) will
tip off its season on Aug. 31, with games scheduled to run until
Dec. 5, organizers said.

"This year there are more Kobatama matches than last year...
The matches will be divided into six legs plus the Laga Bintang
(All-Star Game) and Final Four," Doddie Gambiro, an official from
the Indonesian Basketball Association, said on Wednesday.

Doddie said the first games would be held in Cirebon from
Aug. 31 to Sept. 5, and continue on to Malang (Sept. 11 to Sept.
16), Surabaya (Sept. 29 to Oct. 6), the All-Star Game in
Yogyakarta (Oct. 10), Jakarta (Oct. 19 to Oct. 24), Solo (Oct. 27
to Nov. 1), Bandung (Nov. 13 to Nov. 20) and the Final Four (Dec.
4 and Dec. 5).

Teams in the Kobatama are divided into two groups. The first
group comprises Panasia Indosyntec, Pacific Bank Swadesi, Cahaya
Lestari Surabaya, Bima Sakti Nikko Steel and Bhinneka. The
second group is made up of Aspac, Indonesia Muda Texmaco, Mahaka
Satria Muda and Siliwangi.

Doddie also said no foreign players would be in the league
this year.

"We want to show that our local players can play, and it is
expensive to bring in foreign players now," Doddie said.

Kobatama matches will be broadcast by private television
station SCTV on Thursdays and Saturdays.

SCTV will also broadcast highlights from the games and other
shows related to the league.

Organizers will give a total of Rp 100 million to be divided
by the teams in the league. Another Rp 100,000 will be awarded to
each team's Most Valuable Player.

Doddie hoped the league would be able to attract spectators.

"Most of the spectators will come from the young people. We
hope older people will also watch the games," Doddie said.

Mahaka Satria Muda coach Eric Tohir was enthusiastic about
his team's chances of winning the title this year.

"I know it will be difficult, but I am confident my team can
win the Kobatama." (lnt)