Derrick Michael and Yudha Saputra Lead 18 Players Chosen by Perbasi for FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers

Hendro Dahlan Situmorang
October 25, 2024 | 10:02 pm

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Indonesian national basketball team point guard Yudha Saputra is among the 18 players called up by the Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, alongside Derrick Michael and Brandon Jawato. (Perbasi)

Jakarta. The Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) has summoned 18 players to kick off preparations for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, with training set to begin ahead of key matches against South Korea and Thailand next month.

Notable players on the list include Derrick Michael Xzavierro, currently playing for Long Beach State in the NCAA, and Abraham Damar Grahita, who previously played for Veltex Shizuoka in Japan before joining Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta. The roster also features Brandon Jawato and Anthony Jerome Beane, along with regular national team players such as Vincent Kosasih, Widyanta Putra Teja, and Yudha Saputera.

The team is preparing for Group A matches in November, where they will face host nation South Korea. The game is scheduled for November 21, 2024, at the Goyang Gymnasium. Three days later, on November 24, the Indonesian team will host Thailand at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta.

"We hope to make the most of this preparation time to achieve the best results in the qualifiers," said Acting Chairman of PP Perbasi, Ardima Rama Putra, during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.

"Players named in the call-up list are expected to gather on October 27 at Belezza Apartment for training, which will run from October 28 until the matches," added Perbasi Secretary General Nirmala Dewi.

According to National Team Manager Rony Gunawan, the team will be led by Coach Johannis Winar, known as Coach Ahang. This choice comes after the departure of Coach Milos Pejic, with Rony emphasizing that Coach Ahang is well-equipped to take over.

Coach Ahang will be supported by three assistant coaches: Youbel Sondakh, Antonius Ferry Rinaldo, and Tondi Raja Syailendra. "We want to give local coaches the opportunity to lead the national team following the tenures of Coaches Toro (Rajko Toroman) and Milos Pejic," Rony said.

Rony highlighted the competence of the local coaches, all of whom manage top teams in the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL). Coach Ahang, for instance, led Pelita Jaya to championship titles in both the IBL and the IBL All-Indonesian Tournament in 2024. Similarly, Youbel has shown impressive results with Satria Muda, maintaining an undefeated streak after taking on head coaching duties.

Rony also mentioned that Charlotte Hornets' Marques Bolden was not included in the roster due to a foot injury, and he is currently undergoing rehabilitation. Pelita Jaya'sMohammad Arighi and Yesaya Saudale were also unavailable for selection due to personal commitments.

Earlier this year, the Indonesian national team faced Thailand and Australia in the first round of qualifiers, suffering losses of 56-73 and 51-106, respectively.

Player Roster: