Pelita Jaya Edges Bogor Hornbills in Overtime Thriller to Lead IBL Finals

Pelita Jaya Jakarta secured a narrow 90-87 overtime victory against the Bogor Hornbills in the opening game of the IBL Finals 2026. The intense match, held at PJ Arena in South Jakarta, highlighted areas needing improvement for both teams as they head into the next game of the best-of-five series.

Pelita Jaya's coach, David Singleton, admitted his team did not perform at their peak despite taking the crucial first-game lead. He pointed to defensive lapses and communication errors as key issues that allowed the Hornbills to challenge them. "There were some adjustments made by the opponent that we did not respond to well, such as communication errors, role mistakes, and that is not our defensive standard," Singleton stated post-game.

Despite the struggles, Singleton praised his players' mental fortitude, which enabled them to overcome a nine-point deficit in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and force overtime. Team captain Andakara Prastawa echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the strong mentality that helped them snatch victory. "Fortunately, all players have strong mentalities, so they managed to overcome the pressure in the fourth quarter to equalize the score and take the game to overtime," Prastawa said.

On the Hornbills' side, coach Cesar Camara lamented a loss of focus in the critical final moments. "We have to find a better way to close out games because the opportunity to win was there until the last minutes of the fourth quarter," Camara noted. He felt his team executed much of their game plan but faltered in key decisions and execution down the stretch. Hornbills player Muhammad Fhirdan Guntara agreed, stating that "small things in the final minutes became important lessons, as the opponent was able to punish every mistake we made."

Both teams are now shifting their focus to the second game of the finals, scheduled for Sunday. Pelita Jaya seeks to improve consistency and widen their series advantage, while the Hornbills aim to regroup and level the series.