Papua is a region rich in biodiversity and natural resources. There, basketball athletes train with high spirits and an unforgettable desire.
Basketball athletes from Papua show strong strength in playing. They show their physical strength, hardiness, and creativity in playing. On the basketball court, they show that they have strong strength and unforgettable hardness.
Training in various locations and experiencing various circumstances is one way to build the strength of basketball athletes. In Papua, basketball athletes train in various locations, from swampy areas to mountainous areas. The higher the mountain, the higher the spirit of basketball athletes.
In the last 10 years, to be precise in 2013, there were only three players from Papua in the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL). Those are Yopie France Glay, Rionny Rahangmetan, and Viton Nolland Surawi. Meanwhile, in the 2021 season, several names emerged such as Riggs Parieri Ronsumbre, Henry Cornelis Lakay, Melki Sedek Basik Basik, Hengki Infandi, Imanuel Onawame, Achmad Jufri Abdu, and Armando Fredik Yegiwar.
The existence of NSH Mountain Gold Timika encourages players from Papua to get a place in the Professional Team. They can realize their dreams of becoming basketball players, like Immanuel Onawame and Achmad Jufri Abdu. Both players have never felt enough playing minutes, but as time goes by and playing experience increases, in the end, they can be relied on by the team, maximizing their respective potential.
Some names are already unquestionable in their abilities. Hengki Infandi, who plays for NSH Mountain Gold Timika, is one of the coach’s trusted point guards. In the 2021 season, he can score 3.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 0.7 APG in 14.1 minutes per game. Hengky has speed in penetrating the paint area.
Apart from Hengky, Riggs also has similar abilities. He can do quick drives to the ring. He was installed when Hangtuah needed a player who could implement a fast-break strategy. Riggs is a secret weapon in Hangtuah’s second line.
Unlike the two players, Henry Lakay is probably the most prominent. Lakay currently plays at Satya Wacana Saints Salatiga. He follows in the footsteps of his idol, Yopie France Giay, who also used to play at Satya Wacana. Lakay has a height of 196 cm which supports his role under the ring.
