Indonesia going all out for spot in FIBA Asia Cup 2017

Indonesia last played at the FIBA Asia level in 2014, and, for sure, they want to make a triumphant return this year. That is why the Persatuan Bola Basket Seluruh Indonesia (PERBASI) are going all out in preparing the national team to make a golden run in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Championship 2017. The winner of that tournament will hold the sub-zone's sole ticket to qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 and earn a spot at Division A of the qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Helming the squad will be 40-year-old Wahyu Widayat Jati, who coached the CLS Knights Surabaya to the Indonesia Basketball League (IBL) 2016 title and actually played for Indonesia in the FIBA Asia Cup 2014. Coach Wahyu started in earnest months ago in November with the vision of making his team ready not just for SEABA 2017, but also for the SEA Games 2017, the Asian Games next year (to be held in Jakarta), and, of course, the FIBA Asia Cup.

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Indonesia going all out for spot in FIBA Asia Cup 2017

[Mario Wuysang (INA)]
Mario Wuysang (INA)

JAKARTA (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - Indonesia last played at the FIBA Asia level in 2014, and, for sure, they want to make a triumphant return this year. That is why the Persatuan Bola Basket Seluruh Indonesia (PERBASI) are going all out in preparing the national team to make a golden run in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Championship 2017. The winner of that tournament will hold the sub-zone's sole ticket to qualify for the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 and earn a spot at Division A of the qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Helming the squad will be 40-year-old Wahyu Widayat Jati, who coached the CLS Knights Surabaya to the Indonesia Basketball League (IBL) 2016 title and actually played for Indonesia in the FIBA Asia Cup 2014. Coach Wahyu started in earnest months ago in November with the vision of making his team ready not just for SEABA 2017, but also for the SEA Games 2017, the Asian Games next year (to be held in Jakarta), and, of course, the FIBA Asia Cup.

Yes, even this early, coach Wahyu and his wards are looking that far ahead, aiming to surpass teams like Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, and, most of all, aiming to upset traditional SEABA kings Philippines, who have yet to name their 24-man national pool.

Indonesia started their preparations with a three-team pocket tournament against IBL squad Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta and club team Adroit Singapore, winning both games before the end of 2016. They will follow that up with back-to-back tune-up matches against a pair of other IBL clubs - CLS Knights Surabaya (25 January) and Pacific Caesar Surabaya (26 January).

Right now, coach Wahyu has fifteen players on his preliminary pool, led by the usual suspects like Christian "Dodo" Sitepu, Arki Wisnu, Adhi Prasetyo Putra, veteran playmaker Mario Wuysang and half-Filipino Ebrahim "Biboy" Enguio. By far their most intriguing player, however, is American-born Jamarr Johnson, who is expected to suit up as Indonesia's first ever naturalized player in international competition. Aside from him, coach Jati has another American stashed in his stable — Anthony Hargrove, who used to play college ball in the Philippines.

"The purpose of this training camp is perception," coach Wahyu told local media. "There are some players who are quick to adapt and some who have a longer time to adapt, but I want them all to play as one."

PERBASI and coach Wahyu have at least two training camps prepared in the middle of the IBL 2017 season, and they have more scrimmages planned for the national team as well. All these developments are signs of the country's seriousness in not just turning some heads but, rather, toppling the established pecking order in Southeast Asian basketball. Needless to say, the rest of the sub-zone better be ready.