Don't Want To Fail Again, Hangtuah Jakarta Is Optimistic With AF Coach Rinaldo

Amartha Hangtuah Laquavius Kashaka Cotton basketball player (left) passes Prawira Bandung Glen Thomas Burns basketball player (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Hangtuah Jakarta club has ambitions to penetrate the top five positions in the final standings of the 2022 Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) which is scheduled to start rolling on January 11 next year.

In order to realize this ambition, Hangtuah has brought in a new coach, namely Antonius Ferry Rinaldo or commonly known as AF Rinaldo to replace Rastafari Horongbola.

Commissioner Hangtuah Zulfikar Pujiadi Hymatulaini hopes that the arrival of AF Rinaldo can bring positive changes to the appearance of the team based in South Jakarta.

"Hangtuah's movement in this pre-season is very interesting, starting from the change of name, change of coach, change of player, to change of game system. I hope these changes can increase the enthusiasm and cooperation of the players for the rise of Hangtuah in the 2022 season," Zulfikar said, as quoted by Antara, Thursday.

According to Zulfikar, Hangtuah failed to qualify for the play-off competition last season due to the lack of fighting power of the players in each match. He is optimistic that these shortcomings can be overcome in the hands of AF Rinaldo and can bring the squad to the IBL 2022 final.

In the 2021 season, Hangtuah failed to advance to the play-offs after finishing bottom of the White Division with only two wins from 16 matches played during the regular phase.

The arrival of AF Rinaldo is also believed to be able to bring the team up in the rankings in the IBL standings next season. He has no doubts about his experience, both as a coach and as a player.

The experience of Inal, as AF Rinaldo is called, who once joined the Indonesian basketball national team, is expected to be a motivation for the players.

While as a coach, Inal once managed NSH Mountain Gold Timika at IBL 2021. Although he failed to bring his team to the playoffs, he had brought the team to the top of the IBL 2020 standings before the competition was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inal admitted that he was not burdened with the targets set by Hangtuah's management for him. Moreover, the former point guard of the Indonesian national team has the experience of leading his team to the top of the IBL standings in previous seasons.

“There is a common vision between me and management. That's the reason I chose Hangtuah," he said.