The basketball competition that was held by a collaboration between Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) and AKJ Basketball Semarang emerged new champions in each of the age groups. Gathering young talents from different teams across Indonesia.

With a total of 72 Teams. The event was held at three different sports arenas called GOR. The first GOR was USC or Udinus Sports Center, the second arena was GOR Satria, and the last GOR was Sumber Waras Semarang or usually called Knight Stadion. The competition ran from June 12th to June 20th, 2023, featuring 10 different categories across 7 age groups, ranging from 8 to 18 years old.

The Chief Executive as well as one of the founders of AKJ Basketball Semarang, Tirza Octyaputri explained that there were many teams from various regions like Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bali, Kalimantan, and Sumatra to participate in the intense 5-on-5 battles. Each contestant displayed remarkable determination, resulting in fierce battles throughout the matches. After an eventful week filled with excitement, the basketball competition ended officially through the collaboration between Udinus and AKJ Basketball Semarang.

“Through this event, we provided facilities to all young talents in basketball to gain new experiences. Based on our supervision, all contestants were magnificent. Giving all they could to reach the first place.” Said Tirza.

The presence of passionate fans in the stadium added to the exciting atmosphere, cheering on the basketball players as they competed. The closure of the competition was marked by the award ceremony, where Dr. Kusni Ingsih, M.M. as the Vice-Chancellor III Human Resource of Udinus, had the honor of presenting awards to the champions.

Observing the remarkable gameplay from the talented young athletes, Dr.Kusni Ingsih expressed how happy and amazed she was. The event was a next step from Udinus to young generation who wanted to explore their skills in the same sports branch. She hoped that the event served as a stepping stone for the young generation to explore their basketball skills and encouraged them to consider joining Universitas Dian Nuswantoro.

Dr. Kusni said “What an incredible competition made by Udinus and AKJ Semarang. I can feel the enthusiasm not only from the contestant, but also the spirit from the supporters as well. We would like to conduct this kind of event annually.”

Hoping for the Next Basketball Competition in The Following Year

The intense competition witnessed the exceptional skills and hard work protrayed by players from various teams, adding excitement and joy to the event. Udinus and AKJ Semarang provided comprehensive facilities to ensure the comfort of all contestants.

The captain of Victoria Basketball Team Jakarta, Daniel Nababan showed his gratitude because his team were able to take the first place in the men’s group age of 18 years old. Hard work of the training was the reason why he and his team won the competition. He also hoped that the basketball competition would become a yearly event.

“The participating teams from different regions added the level of competition, emerging a sense of aggression and motivation among all participants. Our teamwork played a crucial role in achieving a satisfying result," commented Daniel.  

The competition brought winners in each category. In the men's 18-year-old category, the Victoria Jakarta basketball team claimed the number one spot. Sahabat Semarang basketball team emerged victorious in the women's 18-year-old category. The Aras Gading Muda basketball team triumphed in the men's 16-year-old category, while the Sahabat Semarang basketball team dominated the women's 16-year-old category.

In the 14-year-old age group, the Hope Jakarta Basketball Team secured the first place in the men's category, while the Victoria Jakarta Basketball Team claimed the gold medal in the women's category. Respect Tangerang Basketball Team emerged victorious in the men's 12-year-old category, and the Victoria Jakarta Team secured the gold medal in the women's category of the same age group.

Furthermore, the Spartan Jogja Basketball Team claimed the top spot in the mixed 10-year-old age group, while the Hope Jakarta basketball team secured another victory in the mixed 8-year-old age group. (Public Relations / Alex. Photo: Udinus PR)