Nine basketball clubs to take part in 2000 league

Nine basketball clubs to take part in 2000 league

JAKARTA (JP): Nine clubs are going to compete in the 2000 Nuvo
Kobatama basketball league, including home favorite and defending
champion Mahaka Satria Muda and former champion Panasia
Indosyntec of Bandung.

The Wim Cycle division comprises Mahaka, Aspac, Indonesia Muda
(IM) Texmaco, Bali Jeff Citra Satria Pelita (CSP) and Dwi Dasa
Mitra Guntur.

The Kratingdaeng division consists of Panasia, Cahaya Lestari
Surabaya, Pacific Caesar of Surabaya and Bima Sakti Nikko Steel
of Malang.

The four series will be staged respectively in Malang,
Surabaya, Bandung and Jakarta starting from July 22.

The Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) official in
charge of Kobatama, Doedie Gambiro, said he was sure the league
would still maintain its quality despite the absence of top club
Bhinneka Sritex of Surakarta, which is under sanction for walking
off the court in the A Mild Kobatama tournament in April.

Doedie also said Perbasi would hire foreign referees to give
short courses to local referees to minimize unfair judgment.

"We admit that our referees still make mistakes, but even NBA
referees make mistakes, which are sometimes acceptable for
competitors. This year we are trying to improve their quality by
inviting foreign instructors," he told a media briefing here
Tuesday.

The course will take place in the last two games of the four
league series.

"Another two foreign referees will also supervise the final
four," he added.

Referees have been criticized for unfair judgment since last
year. In 1999, Panasia walked out of the semifinals, giving the
victory to Mahaka.

Panasia was given a six-month ban in December and was fined Rp
10 million (US$1,075), but the club still ranked fourth in the
main division.

Early this year, Bhinneka received the same bitter treatment
and had to accept Aspac's victory in the tournament's final.
Bhinneka was banned from competing in events staged by Perbasi
for a year and was also fined Rp 10 million.

Both clubs were treated the same when facing Jakarta favorites
Mahaka and Aspac under referee Hadi Wasito, who is claimed by
Perbasi as one of the nation's best referees.

Take over

Aspac coach Tjetjep Firmansyah said his team was ready to take
over the league's champion title from Mahaka. He said Aspac now
has former Panasia's top center, Saut Lambok Jonson, on its
squad.

"We will take the champion's crown from Mahaka."

Mahaka's team manager Erick Thohir stayed low profile, saying
other clubs -- including four newcomers from Yogyakarta, Bali and
Makassar -- could be tough challengers for his team before
reaching the final.

"Mahaka's target is to retain the title. As preparation, we
competed in the Asian Championships and also in the 2000 National
Games (PON). We have 12 days to reconcile the team members. But
Alhamdullilah (Praise God), all players can maintain their top
condition," he said.

Mahaka has a greater chance to retain the title, given its
fresh experience against Malaysia and Singapore national teams
and in the ABC championships in Lebanon, although it finished at
bottom.

IM team manager, Lexi Rohi, said Mahaka still had a long way
to go before it could develop its playing character.

"Panasia still maintains its character and displays
orderliness without Jonson."

Lexi said IM also is eying the title. "We want to reach the
final. When entering the final four, we don't want to finish
third."

CSP and Dwidasa said they did not set high-profile targets.

"We don't set any target as our players have less experience
in Kobatama. We only want them to play their best," said
Dwidasa's team manager Andre Mamuaya. (ivy)