Pro Basketball League

Pro Basketball League
Founded 1928 (1928)
Country  Belgium
Confederation FIBA Europe
Number of teams 10
Level on pyramid 1
Domestic cup(s) Belgian Cup
Supercup Belgian Supercup
International cup(s) Basketball Champions League
FIBA Europe Cup
Current champions Oostende (19th title)
(2018)
Most championships Oostende (19 titles)
President Arthur Goethals
Website euromillionsbasketball.be
2018–19 Pro Basketball League

The Pro Basketball League (PBL)[1], for sponsorship reasons, known as the EuroMillions Basketball League, is the highest tier level professional basketball league in Belgium for clubs. Through 2014, for sponsorship reasons, the league was previously known as the Ethias League, and from 2014–2016, it was known as the Scoore! League, for sponsorship reasons. The league is organized by the Basketball League Belgium. The current president of the league is Arthur Goethals.[2]

The most successful team in the league is Oostende, which holds the record for the most league titles won, with 16, and the now defunct team of Racing Mechelen is second, with 15.

Sponsorship names

  • Until 2014: Ethias League
  • 2014–2016: Scooore! League
  • 2016–present EuroMillions Basketball League[3]

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:[4][5]

  • 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

Club City Arena Capacity
Basic-Fit Brussels Brussels Complexe sportif de Neder-Over-Hembeek 1,200
Limburg United Hasselt Alverberg-sporthal 1,730
Belfius Mons-Hainaut Mons Mons.Arena 4,000
Proximus Spirou Charleroi Spiroudome 6,200
Kangoeroes Basket Willebroek Willebroek Sporthal de Schalk 1,000
Liège Basket Liège Country Hall Ethias Liège 5,000
Okapi Aalstar Aalst Okapi Forum 2,800
Port of Antwerp Giants Antwerp Lotto Arena 5,218
Stella Artois Leuven Bears Leuven Sportoase 3,400
Telenet Oostende Ostend Sleuyter Arena 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.

Season Champions Score Runners-up
2004–05
 Bree
3–1
 Spirou Charleroi
2005–06
 Oostende
3–1
 Mons-Hainaut
2006–07
 Oostende
3–2
 Bree
2007–08
 Spirou Charleroi
3–0
 Bree
2008–09
 Spirou Charleroi
3–0
 Mons-Hainaut
2009–10
 Spirou Charleroi
3–1
 Liège Basket
2010–11
 Spirou Charleroi
3–0
 Okapi Aalstar
2011–12
 Oostende
3–2
 Spirou Charleroi
2012–13
 Oostende
3–0
 Mons-Hainaut
2013–14
 Oostende
3–2
 Okapi Aalstar
2014–15
 Oostende
3–1
 Mons-Hainaut
2015–16
 Oostende
3–1
 Okapi Aalstar
2016–17
 Oostende
3–1
 Brussels
2017–18
 Oostende
3–0
 Antwerp Giants

Appearances by team

Team Total appearances Won Lost
Oostende990
Spirou Charleroi542
Mons-Hainaut404
Bree312
Okapi Aalstar303
Liège101
Brussels101
Antwerp Giants101

Title holders

Performance by club

Key
+
Denotes a team that has been dissolved.
Titles Team Seasons
19
Oostende1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
15
Racing Mechelen+1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
10
Spirou1996, 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 Air1937, 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 Giants2000
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.

References

  1. ↑ "Statuten Pro Basketball League" (PDF) (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Scooore! League makes way for Euromillions Basketball League". Scooore! League. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "A, B en C-licentie in 2009-2010 in Ethias League". Nieuwsblad.be. March 12, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Licentiereglement vzw BLB ter deelname aan competitie – Types van licentie" (PDF). BLB.
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