Bogor Hornbills Make History by Winning IBL 2026 with Pelita Jaya

Bogor Hornbills won the IBL 2026 (doc. IBL).

JAKARTA - Bogor Hornbills managed to make history by winning the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) 2026 title after defeating Pelita Jaya Jakarta in the fifth game in a match format using the best-of-five system.

Hornbills won the duel with a tight score of 64-61 at Pelita Jaya's headquarters, GOR Soemantri, Kuningan, Jakarta, on Sunday, June 28, 2026, WIB evening. Even though playing at the opponent's home, Hornbills supporters flocked to watch their team carve a milestone in the league.

The victory in the last game at Pelita Jaya headquarters made the Hornbills close their journey with a final score of 3-2. They also made club history by winning the league for the first time since joining the IBL in 2022.

This is also the first title for the Bogor-based team in Indonesian professional basketball. In addition, this Hornbills victory makes IBL have different champion teams in the last five seasons.

"Thank God for what happened to me this year. I love this team and I love the organization from day one. Underdog and we can prove it. Nothing is impossible," said Hornbills player Travin Thibodeaux, who became the Most Valuable Player (MVP).

This season has been a surprising turnaround for the Hornbills after last season they were one of the teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs.

They reached the final for the first time after having to fight to five games in the best-of-five format which was first used in the league for the semifinals and finals.

The journey taken by the Hornbills in this year's final round was full of twists and turns. They suffered a loss in the first game and then bounced back in the second game to tie the score.

When the series shifted to their headquarters in Bogor for the third game, the Hornbills again suffered a defeat. They then bounced back and tied the score with a victory in the fourth game and then successfully recorded gold ink.

The Hornbills looked confident despite appearing under pressure. In the first half they even managed to lead with a score of 45-31 over Pelita Jaya.

Travin Thibodeaux's solid performance with 12 points in that period allowed them to open a comfortable margin.

In the third quarter, the Hornbills had to fight hard so that Pelita Jaya did not take momentum. The combination of Jeffree Withey and Perrin Buford threatened the Hornbills' lead, but they were able to hold on.

Hornbills only scored eight points in the third quarter and only 11 points in the fourth quarter. The drama presented in the last seconds proved that they have the mentality of champions in the highest level competition in Indonesia.

Thibodeaux totaled 22 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists in this game. Stephaun Branch helped with 17 points. Meanwhile, from the Pelita Jaya camp, Jeffree Withey scored 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Perrin Buford scored 18 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists.