Pro Basketball League

Last updated

Pro Basketball League
Euromillions Basketball League logo.png
FormerlySee sponsorship names
Founded1928
Folded2021
Replaced by BNXT League
Country Belgium
FederationBLB
Confederation FIBA Europe
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s) Belgian Cup
Supercup Belgian Supercup
International cup(s) Champions League
Europe Cup
Last champions Filou Oostende (23rd title)
(2021–22)
Most championships Filou Oostende (23 titles)
All-time top scorer Willy Steveniers (11,870)
PresidentMaarten Bostyn
Website euromillionsbasketball.be

The Pro Basketball League (PBL), [1] was the highest tier level professional basketball league in Belgium for clubs. In 2021, the league was succeeded by the Belgian-Dutch BNXT League. [2]

Contents

The league is organized by the Basketball League Belgium. The current president of the league is Maarten Bostyn. [3]

The most successful team in the league is Oostende, which holds the record for the most league titles won, with 22, and the now defunct team of Racing Mechelen is second, with 15.

History

On 15 March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the season was prematurely cancelled. Based on the standings in the regular season, Filou Oostende was crowned national champions. [4]

Sponsorship names

Format and rules

The BLB is played by the international FIBA rules. Since 2014–15 the BLB season has a new format. In the regular season, all teams play each other first home and away. After that first round the league is divided in two groups based on standings; in the first group teams ranked 1–6 play and in the second 7–11. After the split each team plays all others in its group once home and once away. After that the Playoffs are played by eight teams. The quarterfinals consist of best-of-three series and the semi- and finals are played in a best-of-five format.

Licensing

Teams that play in the BLB all have to get a license to play in the league. There are three types of licenses: [6] [7]

Current clubs

ClubCityArenaCapacity
Antwerp Giants Antwerp Lotto Arena 5,218
Belfius Mons-Hainaut Mons Mons Arena 4,000
Filou Oostende Ostend Sleuyter Arena 5,000
Kangoeroes Mechelen Mechelen De Winketaai1,000
Leuven Bears Leuven Sportoase3,400
Limburg United Hasselt Alverberg-sporthal1,730
Okapi Aalst Aalst Okapi Forum2,800
Phoenix Brussels Brussels Complexe sportif de Neder-Over-Hembeek1,200
Spirou Charleroi Spiroudome 6,200
VOO Liège Liège Country Hall Ethias Liège 5,000

Finals

Since 2005, play-offs are played to decide which team is crowned the champion of each season. The finals series are played in a best-of-five format, with the team which had the higher seed in the regular season having home court advantage.

SeasonChampionsScoreRunners-up
2004–05
Bree
3–1
Spirou
2005–06
Oostende
3–1
Mons-Hainaut
2006–07
Oostende
3–2
Bree
2007–08
Spirou
3–0
Bree
2008–09
Spirou
3–0
Mons-Hainaut
2009–10
Spirou
3–1
Liège Basket
2010–11
Spirou
3–0
Okapi Aalstar
Oostende
3–2
Spirou
Oostende
3–0
Mons-Hainaut
Oostende
3–2
Okapi Aalstar
Oostende
3–1
Mons-Hainaut
Oostende
3–1
Okapi Aalstar
Oostende
3–1
Brussels
Oostende
3–0
Antwerp Giants
Oostende
3–1
Antwerp Giants
Oostende Cancelled Mons-Hainaut
Oostende
3–1
Mons-Hainaut
Oostende
3–1
Kangoeroes Mechelen

Performances by club (2005–present)

TeamChampionsRunners-upYears championsYears runners-up
Oostende
11
2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022
Spirou 422008, 2009, 2010, 20112005, 2012
Bree 1220052007, 2008
Mons-Hainaut 62006, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2021
Okapi Aalstar 32011, 2014, 2016
Antwerp Giants 2 2018, 2019
Liège 12010
Brussels 1 2017
Kangoeroes Mechelen 12022

Title holders

Performance by club

Key
+
Denotes a team that has been dissolved.
TitlesTeamSeasons
23
Oostende 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
15
Racing Mechelen +1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
10
Spirou 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
8
Antwerpse +1956, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1973
7
Royal IV +1939, 1942, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958
6
Semailles+1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951
4
Fresh Air 1937, 1938, 1978, 1979
4
Brussels A.C.+1928, 1930, 1931, 1933
3
Daring B.C.+1929, 1932, 1934
3
Standard Liège +1968, 1970, 1977
2
Lier +1971, 1972
2
Amicale Sportive+1935, 1936
1
Bree +2005
1
Antwerp Giants 2000
1
Hellas Gent +1955

Individual awards

Not all awards are official ones handed out by the league itself, but all are regarded and respected as BLB awards. As example the Belgian Player of the Year award is handed out by the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad , but the league itself reports the winner on its website.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BC Oostende</span> Basketball team

Basketball Club Oostende, for sponsorship reasons Filou Oostende, is a Belgian professional basketball team. The club is based in Ostend and was founded in 1970. The club competes domestically in the BNXT League and internationally in the Basketball Champions League. Oostende is the most successful basketball club in Belgian history, as the club's honour list includes a record twenty-four Belgian League championships, a record nineteen Belgian Cups and eleven Belgian Supercups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antwerp Giants</span> Belgian professional basketball club

Antwerp Giants, named Telenet Giants Antwerp for sponsorship reasons, is a Belgian professional basketball club based in Antwerp. Their home arena is Lotto Arena. The club plays in the BNXT League, the highest tier of Belgian basketball. The club was created from the merger of Sobabee and Racing Mechelen. Then named Racing Basket Antwerpen, it was renamed Antwerp Giants in 2005.

Racing Club Mechelen, or Racing Club Malines, was a Belgian professional basketball club from the city of Mechelen, Belgium. It was the men's basketball section of K.R.C. Mechelen. For sponsorship reasons, the club was also known as Maes Pils from the 1970s until the 1990s.

The 2011–12 Basketball League Belgium Division I, for sponsorships reasons named 2011–12 Ethias League, was the 84th season of the Ethias League, the top tier basketball in Belgium. The season started on October 4, 2011, and finished in May 2012. Telenet BC Oostende took the title after beating Belgacom Spirou in five games.

The 2012–13 Basketball League Belgium Division I, for sponsorship reasons named 2012–13 Ethias League, was the 85th season of the top tier basketball league in Belgium. The season started on October 6, 2012 and finished on June 9, 2013. The season ended with the defending champions Telenet Oostende defeating Belfius Mons-Hainaut in three games to win its 14th national title.

The Belgian Basketball Cup, for sponsorship reasons the Lotto Basketball Cup, is the top tier national basketball cup competition in Belgium. The tournament is played in a knock-out format, in which teams are drawn against each other. Oostende is the most successful club in the competition's history, as it won 19 titles. Antwerp Giants are the last team to have won the Cup, having won the 2023 edition.

The 2013–14 Basketball League Belgium Division I, for sponsorship reasons the 2013–14 Ethias League, was the 87th season top tier basketball league in Belgium. The season started on October 4, 2013 and finished on June 9, 2014. Telenet BC Oostende won their 3rd straight title by beating Okapi Aalstar 3–2 in the Finals. Dušan Djordjević was named Most Valuable Player.

The 2013–14 Belgian Basketball Cup or The Base Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 60th season of the annual cup tournament in Belgium. Telenet BC Oostende was the defending champion.

Jean-Marc Mwema is a Belgian professional basketball player for Telenet Giants Antwerp of the BNXT League. He also represents the Belgian national basketball team.

The 2014–15 Basketball League Belgium Division I, known as the 2014–15 Scooore! League for sponsorship reasons, was the 88th season of the Basketball League Belgium. This season started with 11 clubs, including newly formed team Limburg United. Telenet Oostende was the defending champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 Belgian Basketball Cup</span>

The 2014–15 Belgian Basketball Cup was the 61st season of the annual cup tournament in Belgium. Telenet Oostende was the defending champion.

The 2015–16 Basketball League Belgium Division I season, for sponsorships reasons named the Scooore! League, was the 89th season of the first tier of basketball in Belgium. The season started on October 2, 2015 and ended on 8 June 2016. The defending champion was Oostende, and it successfully defended its title.

The 2016–17 Pro Basketball League (PBL), for sponsorship reasons the EuroMillions Basketball League, season was the 90th season of the first tier of basketball in Belgium. The defending champion was Oostende, which successfully defended its title.

The 2017–18 Pro Basketball League, for sponsorship reasons the EuroMillions Basketball League, was the 91st season of the Belgian Basketball League, first tier of basketball in Belgium. The defending champion was Oostende. The season started on 23 September 2017 and ended 14 June 2018.

The 2018–19 Pro Basketball League, for sponsorship reasons the EuroMillions Basketball League, season was the 92nd season of the Pro Basketball League (PBL), first tier of basketball in Belgium. The season started on 5 October 2018 and ended 13 June 2019.

The 2020–21 Pro Basketball League (PBL) was the 94th season of the Pro Basketball League, the highest professional basketball league in the Belgium. The regular season was supposed to start in September 2020 but was delayed to 2 October 2020 due to new coronavirus restrictions. It is the last season as the PBL, as in the following season the multinational BNXT League commences.

The 2020–21 Standard Liège season was the club's 117th season in existence and its ninth consecutive season in the top flight of Belgian football. In addition to the domestic league, Standard Liège participated in this season's edition of the Belgian Cup and participated in the UEFA Europa League. The season covered the period from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.

The 2021–22 BNXT League is the inaugural season of the BNXT League, the highest professional basketball league in Belgium and the Netherlands. It replaces the Dutch Basketball League and the Pro Basketball League.

The 2022–23 BNXT League is the second season of the BNXT League, the highest professional basketball league in Belgium and the Netherlands. ZZ Leiden is the defending champion.

The 2023–24 Belgian Basketball Cup, for sponsorship reasons the Lotto Basketball Cup, is the 70th edition of Belgium's national basketball cup tournament. The Antwerp Giants are defending champions.

References

  1. "Statuten Pro Basketball League" (PDF) (in Dutch). Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  2. "The Pro Basketball League and Dutch Basketball League about to launch BeNeLeague as of the 2021–2022 season". Pro Basketball League. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  3. "Arthur Goethals nieuwe voorzitter Pro Basketball League". Het Nieuwsblad.
  4. "Basketbalcompetitie bij mannen definitief stopgezet: Oostende is weer kampioen". Sporza.be. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  5. "Scooore! League makes way for Euromillions Basketball League". Scooore! League. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  6. "A, B en C-licentie in 2009-2010 in Ethias League". Nieuwsblad.be. 12 March 2009.
  7. "Licentiereglement vzw BLB ter deelname aan competitie – Types van licentie" (PDF). BLB. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.

Sources