Pro Basketball League Explained

Pro Basketball League
Pixels:180
Country:Belgium
Fed:BLB
Confed:FIBA Europe
Founded:1928
Formerly:See sponsorship names
Folded:2021
Successor:BNXT League
Teams:10
President:Maarten Bostyn
Levels:1
Supercup:Belgian Supercup
Confed Cup:Champions League
Europe Cup
Champions:Filou Oostende (23rd title)
Season:2021–22
Most Champs:Filou Oostende (23 titles)
Top Scorer:Willy Steveniers (11,870)

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

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 GiantsAntwerpLotto Arenaalign=center
Belfius Mons-HainautMonsMons Arenaalign=center
Filou OostendeOstendSleuyter Arenaalign=center
Kangoeroes MechelenMechelenDe Winketaaialign=center
Leuven BearsLeuvenSportoasealign=center
Limburg UnitedHasseltAlverberg-sporthalalign=center
Okapi AalstAalstOkapi Forumalign=center
Phoenix BrusselsBrusselsComplexe sportif de Neder-Over-Hembeekalign=center
SpirouCharleroiSpiroudomealign=center
VOO LiègeLiègeCountry Hall Ethias Liègealign=center

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
BreeSpirou
OostendeMons-Hainaut
OostendeBree
Bree
SpirouMons-Hainaut
SpirouLiège Basket
SpirouOkapi Aalstar
OostendeSpirou
OostendeMons-Hainaut
OostendeOkapi Aalstar
OostendeMons-Hainaut
OostendeOkapi Aalstar
OostendeBrussels
OostendeAntwerp Giants
OostendeAntwerp Giants
Mons-Hainaut
Mons-Hainaut
Kangoeroes Mechelen

Performances by club (2005–present)

TeamChampionsRunners-upYears championsYears runners-up
align=left
align=left 4 2 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 2005, 2012
align=left 1 2 2005 2007, 2008
align=left 6 2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2021
align=left 3 2011, 2014, 2016
align=left 2 2018, 2019
align=left 1 2010
align=left 1 2017
align=left 1 2022

Title holders

Performance by club

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

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statuten Pro Basketball League. 30 May 2018. nl. https://web.archive.org/web/20180728190926/http://euromillionsbasketball.be/pdf/Statuten%20vzw%20Pro%20Basketball%20League%20-%20site.pdf. 28 July 2018. live.
  2. Web site: The Pro Basketball League and Dutch Basketball League about to launch BeNeLeague as of the 2021–2022 season. Pro Basketball League. 10 December 2020. 5 January 2021.
  3. Web site: Arthur Goethals nieuwe voorzitter Pro Basketball League. Het Nieuwsblad.
  4. Web site: Basketbalcompetitie bij mannen definitief stopgezet: Oostende is weer kampioen. 14 March 2020. Sporza.be. 15 March 2020.
  5. News: Scooore! League makes way for Euromillions Basketball League. Scooore! League. 6 September 2016. 6 September 2016.
  6. News: A, B en C-licentie in 2009-2010 in Ethias League . Nieuwsblad.be . March 12, 2009 .
  7. Web site: Licentiereglement vzw BLB ter deelname aan competitie – Types van licentie . PDF . BLB . 2014-07-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714230816/http://www.ethiasleague.com/public/uploaded/Licentiereglement_BLB_Competitie_2011-2012.pdf . 2014-07-14 . dead .