JAKARTA (Indonesia) - The second window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers is a crucial stretch for every team involved. Indonesia are no exception. After losing two straight games at home in the first window, they are going to have to put on a show in Bahrain.

Fortunately for "Timnas", they have a few new tricks up their sleeves for Window 2.

Experienced swing man Brandon Jawato has been locked in with the national team throughout a lengthy training camp period. He’s focused on making his national team debut on November 28. When the time comes, Jawato and his team will be heading in with plenty of confidence.

“We’re confident,” Jawato boldly states. “We’re prepared and have been training to the best of our abilities to compete with the teams in our group.”

“We’re confident [of qualifying for Asia Cup 2021] and we’re taking it step by step, but our main focus is winning both games in Window 2.”

The 27-year-old forward boasts an interesting resume. Jawato played in the NCAA at the University of Hawaii before beginning his professional career. By tracing back to his heritage on his Bali-born father's side, Jawato took his talents to Indonesia.

After experiencing a decent level of success and filling up his trophy case, Jawato is now looking forward to his next conquest by elevating the level of the national team. Jawato is a new piece of the puzzle for Indonesia and he advises fans to be prepared to see a lot of positive adjustments.

“There’s been a couple changes and fans can expect to see progression, high energy, hustle, and togetherness from our team.”

Standing at 1.93M (6’4”), Jawato brings a mix of athleticism and sharpshooting to the table for Indonesia head coach Rajko Toroman. More than those on-the-court skills, Jawato brings intense energy to the team that can be contagious - in a positive way.

He’s more than ready to display all of that for Asia basketball fans to see on the court.

“I’m ecstatic and so grateful. [Making my debut in this upcoming window] would be a dream come true for me.”

That debut will most likely come against Thailand, who Indonesia will face in this window. The two teams have an on-going rivalry and bringing Jawato into the picture could be what Indonesia needs to have a slight advantage.

“[I’m] looking forward to compete,”

As evident by the addition of players like Jawato and Lester Prosper to the national team talent pool, Indonesia has put in much effort to raise the level of their national team program. The progress has been showcased in the past and should continue to be visible in the near future as well.

“Indonesian basketball is constantly learning and evolving,” Jawato said.

Of course, all of that build up is for the year 2023, when Indonesia will be co-hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup. The team is hoping to build the best program that they can, in order to be able to give the hometown crowds something to be proud of and passionately cheer for when the time comes.

“It’s a great opportunity for us and it would also help the growth of basketball here,” Jawato said. “Indonesia’s a beautiful country filled with an amazing culture and genuine people. So a chance to host the World Cup in 2023 would be an honor and a great chance to make history. We can show the world that Indonesia is capable of competing with other countries.”

As of this moment, however, the focus shifts back to these upcoming games in the Asia Cup Qualifiers. If they are aiming to achieve their ultimate goal of being a competitive team in the World Cup, it’s going to have to start here.

And Brandon Jawato is hoping to be a part of this important step forward by making his Timnas debut.

FIBA