Women's cagers start SEAG training

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Basketball Association started its women's training program yesterday, though only three players showed up.

With only seven months remaining before the 19th SEA Games scheduled to begin here Oct. 11, the association, which expects to win one gold from the men's team, is having problems gathering its athletes for training.

Chinese coach Wang Chang You, who arrived on Jan. 28, was upset to find only three players at the session.

"He was very upset and disappointed because he has had nothing to do since January and had to spend Imlek (Chinese new year) here alone," said Anton Sugiarto, the association's official who is also an interpreter for Wang.

Wang coached the three athletes -- Nina, Puspa Indah and Liana, all from Jakarta -- who began training last January. He will be assisted by Sim Kim Lay and Ridwan Prayogo of Indonesia. Neither assistant coach showed up yesterday.

Nina said that teammates Theresia Ninon and Merciana Anggani had joined the training program but had skipped yesterday's session. Ninon went home to Bogor, West Java, and Merciana had to work.

"We join with other clubs to practice in the afternoon," said Nina, who is a student at the University of Indonesia's School of Politics and Social Sciences.

Wang, an army brigadier general in China, said that he had yet to decide on a program as he was just getting to know the athletes.

"He needs to know all the athletes before deciding what program he will apply. He has no idea which Southeast Asian country is the best because he usually coaches the men's team in China," said Anton.

The association plans to groom 20 athletes on each team, men's and women's, from January to April. In May, the association will choose 15 athletes for the final training round.

As of today, however, only 12 male and three female players have shown up for training at the Senayan Basketball Hall.

The association's administrator, Sudarno, said that the association's East Java branch would conduct physical tests today on its top 10 athletes.

"Hopefully they will arrive on Thursday," he said.

The association plans to send the women's team to the second Southeast Asian Basketball Association's championship in Thailand this June.

Five male cagers -- Suko Daryono, Eko Hariyanto, Ali Budimansyah, Agung Sunarko and Saut Lambok Jonson -- have been missing from training since the Idul Fitri break. (yan)