From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the current top level Belgian league, see
BNXT League
.
Basketball league
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]
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
[
edit
]
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]
- Until 2014
: Ethias League
- 2014?2016
: Scooore! League
- 2016?2021
EuroMillions Basketball League
[5]
Format and rules
[
edit
]
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
[
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]
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]
- A-license: for teams who have more than a
€
1 million budget. A-licensed team can qualify for European competitions.
- B-license: teams with at least a €750,000 budget. B-licensed teams can't qualify for European play.
- C-licence: given to teams that are on the rise, with a budget of at least €400,000. C-licenses do not allow teams to qualify for European play and have to get replaced by B-licenses after two years.
Current clubs
[
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]
Club
|
City
|
Arena
|
Capacity
|
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 Winketaai
|
1,000
|
Leuven Bears
|
Leuven
|
Sportoase
|
3,400
|
Limburg United
|
Hasselt
|
Alverberg-sporthal
|
1,730
|
Okapi Aalst
|
Aalst
|
Okapi Forum
|
2,800
|
Phoenix Brussels
|
Brussels
|
Complexe sportif de Neder-Over-Hembeek
|
1,200
|
Spirou
|
Charleroi
|
Spiroudome
|
6,200
|
VOO Liege
|
Liege
|
Country Hall Ethias Liege
|
5,000
|
Finals
[
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]
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.
Performances by club (2005?present)
[
edit
]
Team
|
Champions
|
Runners-up
|
Years champions
|
Years runners-up
|
Oostende
|
11
|
?
|
2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018,
2019
,
2020
,
2022
|
?
|
Spirou
|
4
|
2
|
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
|
2005, 2012
|
Bree
|
1
|
2
|
2005
|
2007, 2008
|
Mons-Hainaut
|
?
|
6
|
?
|
2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2021
|
Okapi Aalstar
|
?
|
3
|
?
|
2011,
2014
,
2016
|
Antwerp Giants
|
?
|
2
|
?
|
2018
,
2019
|
Liege
|
?
|
1
|
?
|
2010
|
Brussels
|
?
|
1
|
?
|
2017
|
Kangoeroes Mechelen
|
?
|
1
|
?
|
2022
|
Title holders
[
edit
]
Performance by club
[
edit
]
Key
+
|
Denotes a team that has been dissolved.
|
Titles
|
Team
|
Seasons
|
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 Liege
+
|
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
[
edit
]
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.
References
[
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]
Sources
[
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]
External links
[
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]