Indonesia lags far behind Asian powerhouses China and South Korea when it comes to basketball. The country even struggles to compete with its Southeast Asian neighbor the Philippines.

With Indonesia set to cohost the 2023 FIBA World Cup with Japan and the Philippines, the country desperately needs to accelerate the development of the sport in the country.

Men’s team captain Arki Dikania Wisnu said Indonesia needed to put in place a comprehensive training program to develop its national team ahead of the 2023 cup.

Arki, who plays for Satria Muda Pertamina in the country’s top league, the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL), said Indonesia had the potential to catch up to the best teams in Asia within the next five years.

“But we really need to have a dedicated training program [ahead of 2023]. Low key programs will get us nowhere,” Arki told journalists after his team lost 84-66 to Japan to finish eighth in the Asian Games in Jakarta on Friday.

“For instance, after the 2019 Southeast Asian [SEA] Games [in the Philippines], we need to do something [to keep playing as a team],” Arki said, adding that developing a strong team required constant effort.

“You can’t stop, say, in 2021, and do nothing, and then be burdened with high expectations [at the 2023 tournament]. It’s nonsensical,” the 30-year-old said after scoring 6 points in Friday’s match.

In its match against Japan, Indonesia put up a tough fight over the first three quarters, trailing by just one point at quarter time, 21-20. Japan’s lead increased to 39-32 in Q2 before Indonesia reeled in the deficit to end Q3 57-54. Trailing by just three points entering the final quarter the host team finally succumbed, being outscored 27-12 in Q4 to lose 84-66.

Arki said the experience of playing against Asia’s top teams at the Games provided valuable lessons for the team.

“We played against great teams.” he added.

The Indonesian men’s team finished second in Group A during the preliminary round, before losing to China 98-63 in the quarterfinal. Indonesia then lost to Japan in the playoff for seventh spot to finish eighth overall.

Coach Fictor “Ito” Gideon Roring said Indonesia’s biggest flaw was the average height of its
players.

Arki, for example, stands 1.87 meters tall, while Jamarr Andre Johnson, a naturalized player from the United States who scored 23 points during Friday’s game, is 1.96 m tall.

On the Japanese team, Avi Koki Schafer stands at a towering 2.05 m.

“It’s tough to beat tall guys. We’ve been focusing on our skills, but, as a team, we were challenged by their height,” said Ito, a former national player.

Nevertheless, Ito expressed his appreciation for the team’s effort on the court.

“What can I say, it’s a sport for giants, indeed,” said Ito. “It’s crucial for us to get more tall players in the future in order to beat the best [in Asia].”

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