Indonesians toughen up for SEABA
Gilas Pilipinas may find one real threat in its SEABA Championship bid in Team Indonesia.
The Indonesians, under new coach Wahyu Widayat Jati, have recruited a naturalized player in Jamarr Johnson and have pitched camp as early as November last year in preparation for a number of international meets including the SEABA Championship slated in Manila on April 23-30.
Jati is determined to challenge the Filipinos for the SEABA crown where the winner will be the sole Southeast Asian team qualifying for the FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut in August.
The Indonesians have laid down a long serious program also aimed at a good showing in the 2017 SEA Games in Malaysia and the 2018 Asian Games slated in Jakarta.
Indonesia churned out a fighting second-place finish behind Gilas Pilipinas in the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.
In SEABA, the Indons reigned supreme once in 1996 then wound up second to the Filipinos four in a row from 2005.
Johnson, a New Jersey native who played college ball for Widener U, banners the Indonesian 15-man pool that includes another American and former FEU Tam in Anthony Hargrove and FilIndonesian Biboy Enguio.
Before the end of 2016, the Indonesians staged a three-team pocket tournament, topping IBL squad Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta and club team Adroit Singapore.
A series of tune- up matches against top IBL teams is set as part of their SEABA buildup.
Gilas coach Chot Reyes, however, has stressed they’re not taking the SEABA competition lightly as they don’t want to miss a trip to the Asia Cup which is the first important event leading to the new FIBA qualifying competition for the 2019 World Cup.