Pelita Jaya Jakarta basketball player Andakara Prastawa chose to focus on starting the 2026 Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) with the best performance, one of which was by winning the first match against Dewa United Banten, on January 10.
According to him, the season-opening match at Dewa United Arena, Tangerang, at 7:00 PM WIB, is a momentum to gauge the current squad's strength in facing the 2025 IBL champion team.
"To prepare for the 2026 IBL, we have to start strong, including our first match against Dewa," said the Pelita Jaya Jakarta captain.
He explained that Pelita Jaya is determined to make the new season a momentum for revival, with a team composition that has undergone a number of changes.
The team, which is based at the Soemantri Brodjonegoro Student Sports Hall (GMSB), Kuningan, Jakarta, entered this season with a different face, after changing its head coach and bringing in new foreign players.
In addition, the team's strength is also strengthened by the return of several players who are expected to have a positive impact from the start of the season.
Because, team readiness does not only depend on foreign players, but also the contribution of quality local players.
"We also have quality local players like Dede (Hendrick Xavi Yonga) who just returned from the United States (US), so that will be something new again, so the immediate target is to start the season well," said the senior point guard who is a mainstay of the Indonesian national basketball team.
