The University of Melbourne Reclaim New Balance UBL Men’s Championship Title 

More than 60 games across six states brought the 2026 New Balance University Basketball League (UBL) Men’s competition to a close, with The University of Melbourne reclaiming the championship after a 93-64 Grand Final victory over the University of Newcastle. 

Having last won the men’s title in 2023, Melbourne’s return to the top completed a championship double after their women’s team also claimed the 2026 UBL Women’s title for the first time. 

The Grand Final was streamed live and free on 7plus, giving basketball fans across Australia the chance to follow the championship decider. 

Gold Medal Match – The University of Melbourne Crowned Men’s UBL Champions For The Second Time 

Hosted by The University of Melbourne at the Nona Lee Sports Centre, the Men’s Grand Final between The University of Melbourne and University of Newcastle brought together the top teams from the UBL’s South West and North East conferences. Both universities finished the regular season with six wins and two losses, setting the stage for a closely contested championship decider. 

The opening quarter lived up to expectations, with Melbourne and Newcastle trading baskets in a tight contest. Neither side could gain a clear advantage, with the scores level at 23-all at the first break. 

Melbourne began to build momentum in the second quarter to take a 46-38 lead into half-time. 

The hosts lifted their intensity in the third quarter, pulling away from Newcastle to establish a 72-46 advantage heading into the final period.  

In the fourth, Melbourne maintained control to secure a 93-64 victory and reclaim the New Balance UBL Men’s championship for the first time since 2023.

Following the win, Melbourne’s Dihan Wiggett (Bachelor of Commerce) spoke about what the title meant to the group in a post-match interview. 

“It feels amazing, the last two seasons we finished short losing in the semis both years, so to do it this year, with it being a lot of our last years, it’s super special,” he said, crediting the team’s strong connection and selfless approach for helping them succeed. 

The Grand Final was particularly meaningful for Dihan, who was playing his final game before graduating from The University of Melbourne. Reflecting on his time in the competition, he said the relationships built through basketball had been a major part of his university experience. 

“It’s my fourth season, and a lot of us have been here for four or five years. We love basketball, we give it our all and put it all out there on the court. UBL is about the friendships you make, and over the past few years it’s what has made university fun, so to do this with this group of guys is super special.” 

For Newcastle, reaching the Grand Final marked another step forward in the university’s short UBL history. After reaching the Semi Finals in 2025, the team advanced to the championship decider in just their second year in the league. 

Captain Jamal Shoaib (Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Honours) said he was proud of the work the group had put in to reach that stage, highlighting the commitment required by players and the growth of the University of Newcastle’s UBL program.  

“I am super proud, our program is still young, it’s our second year in the league and it’s only going to grow and get better. Some of us are travelling 1.5-2 hours to get to training at 6:30am in the morning. It’s a huge effort, so to show up every day and put in that effort is a real testament to the character of our team,” he said. 

Bronze Medal Match – USYD Secure Third Place 

The Men’s Bronze Medal Match brought together The University of Sydney (USYD) and the University of Tasmania (UTAS) in a rematch of the 2025 Grand Final. This time, both sides were competing for a place on the podium to close out their 2026 campaigns. 

USYD started strong, taking a 40-27 lead into half-time and maintained control after the break. Despite UTAS’ efforts to respond, Sydney secured a convincing 91-59 win to claim the 2026 UBL Men’s bronze medal. 

New Balance UBL Men’s 2026 MVP 

University of Tasmania’s Phoenix Robey (Diploma of Languages) was named the 2026 New Balance UBL Men’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) after a standout season, averaging more than 28 points, four assists and eight rebounds per game. 

UniSC’s Jamaal Robateau (Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science) finished second with 21 votes, while AU Waatu’s Ayual Garang (Bachelor of Architectural Design) and Curtis Scott (Bachelor of Health and Medical Science, Advanced) tied for third with 18 votes each. 

UniSport Australia congratulates The University of Melbourne on reclaiming the UBL Men’s title, the University of Newcastle on finishing as silver medallists, and USYD on securing bronze. 

Congratulations also go to UTAS on reaching the Semi Finals, and to Phoenix Robey on being named the 2026 UBL Men’s MVP. 

UniSport extends its thanks to The University of Melbourne for hosting the Men’s Semi Finals, Bronze Medal Match and Grand Final at the Nona Lee Sports Centre.  

The 2026 UBL season would not have been possible without the commitment of the 14 participating universities and the support of State Sporting Organisations across the country, comprising of Basketball New South Wales, Basketball Queensland, Basketball Tasmania, Basketball Victoria, Basketball Western Australia and Basketball South Australia. Thank you to all involved for contributing to another outstanding season of university basketball. 

The New Balance University Basketball League will return in 2027.