Indonesia Loses to Thailand in Wheelchair Basketball at ASEAN Games

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s men’s wheelchair basketball team fell 30-60 to host Thailand on Thursday, January 22, 2025, at the 2025 ASEAN Para Games after struggling to contain inside scoring and fast breaks throughout the group-stage match.

The match was played at Hall 1, Terminal 21 Korat, in Nakhon Ratchasima, extending Indonesia’s winless run after an earlier 30-63 loss to the Philippines in their opening game.

Indonesian head coach Salim Nurjadin said defensive lapses allowed the opponents to capitalize in the paint area. “We gave the opponents too much space to take shots from the paint area,” Salim said after the match, as quoted by Antara.

Despite the loss, Indonesian captain I Komang Suparta said the team remains focused on improving ahead of its remaining fixtures. “We are still optimistic about the upcoming matches and hope to face a more favorable opponent,” said the player wearing jersey number 14.

Indonesia initially kept the contest close during the first five minutes of the opening quarter before Thailand began to take control, leading 12-6 at the end of the period.

In the second quarter, Komang Suparta responded with a close-range basket to reduce the deficit to 8-14. He continued to score consistently, helping Indonesia narrow the gap to 12-14. However, Thailand’s accuracy from both short and long range allowed the hosts to extend their lead to 23-14.

After halftime, Thailand, led by Adisak Kaoboo, maintained their dominance. Indonesia struggled to contain Thailand’s three-point shooting, as the score widened to 34-18 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Indonesia relied heavily on their Bali-born captain for scoring, making their offensive pattern predictable. Thailand capitalized with frequent fast breaks into Indonesia’s defensive zone.

After four quarters of play, each lasting 10 minutes, the team closed the game with a 30-60 loss.

The men’s 5-on-5 wheelchair basketball competition at the 2025 ASEAN Para Games features four teams: Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. All teams play each other in a round-robin format to determine the semifinal matchups.

Indonesia is scheduled to play its third group-stage match against Malaysia on Friday, January 23. ***