Dibuat oleh Admin. Pada 08 January 2025 - 17:34
Satria Muda Pertamina (SMP) officially introduced its complete squad to face the 2025 IBL season which will be held starting this week. For this year, the team that has collected 12 championship titles has not made many changes.
SM Pertamina this season will still be strengthened by famous names such as Widyanta Putra Teja, Juan Laurent, Sandi Ibrahim Aziz, Abraham Damar Grahita, Ali Bagir, Julian and Adrien Chalias, Antoni Erga, Karl Patrick and the player who was absent last season Avan Seputra.
From the Biru Baru group, the team based in Kelapa Gading has Bryan Elang and rookie Mario Davidson. As well as experienced foreign legions such as LeBryan Nash, Wendell Lewis, Randy Bell and naturalized player Jarron Crump.
"This is a complete composition of players for us. We have players with mature age, we have many players with experience even as we know our foreign players have also all played here so of course it will make them adjust faster and blend with the Satria Muda playing pattern," said Satria Muda Pertamina head coach Youbel Sondakh.
The man from Manado also added that this season's squad feels deeper and that of course makes him free to choose players to face the long season later.
"In addition, if I look at it physically, we are also more prepared this season because I always tell them that our league now will be very physical so it's not just skills that continue to be honed but also the body and energy also need special training," he continued.
When asked about the loss of senior players like Arki Wisnu, Youbel said that it would not be a big problem in the SM Pertamina team. Because according to him, players like Avan Seputra, Abraham Damar and Widyanta will be able to fill the position of SM Pertamina leaders this season.
"I have no doubt about that, because we have figures who can lead the team like Abraham, Widy and also Avan, the player who has played here the longest. So I think leading a team full of talent like SM will be a lesson and an interesting challenge for them. But once again I am sure about that and we will be more solid this season," he concluded.
A sense of optimism for this season also came from senior SM Pertamina player Avan Seputra, a figure who was absent from this league last season, who is sure that this year's SM Pertamina squad will be much more solid.
"I am sure because our squad actually hasn't changed much except for the composition of foreign players but we know they also have a lot of knowledge about the league here. And also we all already understand the system and pattern of Coach Youbel so adaptation and communication between players as a unit is better. So I am very confident that we SM Pertamina can perform well this season," said the player with the number 23 jersey.
Asked about whether he was ready to carry out the task with Bram and Widy to lead the SM Pertamina troops. Avan answered that he was very ready.
"But I won't think too much about it because SM is actually a team with many mature players and the age gap is not too far. So that will make this team very conducive actually but as a senior player I will take a bigger role both on the field and in the locker room. It will all of course lead to what we are aiming for together, which is to be the best in this league," he concluded.
