Perbasi to appoint head coach for SEA Games 2001

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) has decided to appoint a head coach for the men's and women's national basketball teams to be groomed for the Kuala Lumpur 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, an official said on Tuesday.

"Perbasi appointed Rastafari Horongballa as the head coach to help men's coach Tjetjep Firmansyah and women's coach Willyanto Pribadi," secretary-general Yudi Soeyoto told reporters.

"Both coaches will have the right to decide on the players and their assistants for each team."

"We have also appointed two team managers, Max B. Lani for the boys and Erik Thohir for the girls. A chaperon, Yulisa Rastafari, will also accompany the girls."

Yudi said the decision for the appointment of a head coach was made after the success of using the strategy during the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) tournament in Surabaya.

"The function of a head coach is to give input to coaches, especially in critical times. The head coach won't be involved directly in day-to-day training," he said.

"Meanwhile, both coaches have the right to decide on the players and their assistants best-suited for the team. We'll soon summon the coaches to form the team. Currently, we have a list of 30 players in each event to be picked."

The training center for basketball teams will start after the Bhinneka Cup from Jan. 14 until Jan. 18 in Surakarta, Central Java.

"Coaches will also determine their own program for the teams, including try-out matches. We expect both teams to do their best by reaching the finals. We have to be optimistic that we'll achieve the target," Yudi said.

The men's team won the bronze after beating Malaysia in the 1999 SEA Games in Brunei Darussalam, while the women's event was not staged.

Yudi also revealed a plan to organize the Jakarta Anniversary tournament for the men's team in June by inviting teams from Beijing, Paris, Rotterdam, Seoul and Tokyo.

"Our men's team will benefit from this tournament as part of their preparation," he said. (nvn)