IBSU flex championship credentials

The Intervarsity men's basketball reigning champions, the Institute of Business Studies University (IBSU) Hammers, have stamped their authority by winning four straight games and remaining undefeated after Day 4 of the bi-annual tournament. 

Hosted at the University of Natural Resources and Environment (UNRE) Vudal Campus in Rabaul, East New Britain Province, the Port Moresby-based tertiary institution wasted no time and immediately made its presence felt on the court.

The Hammers started their campaign with all guns blazing, defeating the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG Chiefs) 37-24, beating the University of Technology (UoT) 43-31, smashing the Divine Word University (DWU) 56-37, and hammering the hosts (UNRE) 50-26.

The red-hot Hammers have a final game against the Pacific Adventist University (PAU Lakers) before completing the round-robin games and preparing for the playoffs, and ultimately, the finals. 

With four matches played so far and one final game to complete the normal rounds, the IBSU Hammers have continued to demonstrate determination, teamwork, and the winning spirit that has made them a force in university basketball.

The defending champions are in a prime position to retain their title following four dominant performances against Port Moresby’s UPNG Chiefs, Lae’s UoT Bulls, Madang’s DWU, and Rabaul’s UNRE. 

ISBU wrote on its Facebook page: “Every game is an opportunity to learn, grow, and come back stronger. We are proud of both teams for representing IBSU with pride and passion.

The tournament is not over yet. Keep pushing, the Hammers.” 

Meanwhile, other sports that are hosted concurrently by the sister universities include soccer, volleyball, netball, and touch rugby. The participating tertiary institutions are UPNG, UNRE, DWU, UoT, UoG, IBSU, and Western Pacific University (WPU). 

Five universities have been selected to host the 2026 Bi-annual Intervarsity Games, and they are: 

• Basketball - UNRE

• Soccer - DWU

• Netball - UoT

• Volleyball - UPNG

• Touch Rugby - IBSU

The Intervarsity Games in Papua New Guinea are hosted to bring together student-athletes from various tertiary institutions, aiming to promote unity, friendship, and healthy competition. The events serve as a key platform for youth development, physical well-being, and strengthening national connections across the country's diverse academic communities.  

PC: Kuri Images