JAKARTA - The Indonesian national basketball team faces a tough challenge in facing Saudi Arabia and Jordan in the second window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifications which will be held on February 24 and 27.
Guard Abraham Damar Grahita, for example, admitted that it would not be easy to conquer the next two matches because the current conditions of the players were not the same, especially after the findings of many COVID-19 cases in the 2022 Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) competition.
In terms of ranking, the two teams have FIBA rankings above Indonesia, which is in 91st position, while Saudi Arabia and Jordan are ranked 78 and 39, respectively.
"The ranking that represents the basketball development system in the country alone is far away. So it won't be easy for us. Only, basketball is round, so let's give our best. It's not easy to take a win, but the opportunity is always there, " said Abraham quoted from Antara, Thursday, February 24.
Meanwhile, Andakara Prastawa admits differences in body posture are one of the influential factors in basketball matches, but he is optimistic about the upcoming match.
“They have the advantage of an athletic and strong posture. For me, there is no tough competition but just a challenge. So I'm very optimistic that we can win, especially since we've been together for more than two years and we certainly understand each other," said Prastawa.
"The key is, against them, you can't lose your focus in the game," he continued.
The assistant coach of the national team, Wahyu Widayat Jati, added that the chemistry between the players had improved. They also understand the game system that coach Rajko Toroman wants.
"Actually, all the current players understand the coach Toro system. So they have no problem with strategy."
"The problem is the player's fitness problem because some players have just recovered from COVID-19 and the rest are mostly not training intensively due to the impact of COVID-19," explained Wahyu.
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