PBL...No, not the Pro Bowling League

I was invited to play in the equivalent of a city league in the city of Pekanbaru, the Pekanbaru Basketball League (PBL). Some of the Indonesian guys we invite to play pickup basketball with us here at the school on Tuesday nights play on a team and invited me to join them. This is a picture of the outdoor court where the games are held. I played in my first game on Saturday. It was a rather unique experience. Here are some of the highlights (not of my play but of the experience)

1. Before the game both teams go into a tunnel and are announced over a loud speaker before running out to "Jock Jams" being played over the speakers.

2. They actually play the Indonesian National Anthem before the game.

3. There are three referees for this event decked out in uniforms (who also run out of the tunnel to music).

4. The have a manual score board on one end of the stadium.

5. We were playing a team that has not lost (they were pretty good) and we were ahead by 9 points. Once that happened all of the calls seemed to mysteriously go against the our team. I mean all the calls. My favorite was when I received a technical foul for closing out on a three point shooter and calling out "shot" to alert my team that he had shot the ball. Apparently in Indonesian rules you cannot say a word to the shooter while he is shooting the ball. New to me! We ended up losing by 8.

6. When you shoot freethrows they blair music and talk on the PA system while you are shooting...see #5.

Even with all of those oddities it was a really neat experience. I am looking forward to playing again. I had a great time.

It is kind of like a mini Roman Coliseum. Cement stands all the way around and you are in a bowl. This picture was taken during the high school girls team practice right before our game.