Lebanese Basketball League
The Lebanese Basketball League, or XXL Energy Lebanese Basketball League for sponsorship reasons, is the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB).[1]
Organising body | Lebanese Basketball Federation (LFB) |
---|---|
Founded | 1992 |
First season | 1992–93 |
Country | Lebanon |
Confederation | FIBA Asia |
Number of teams | 11 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | League 1 |
Domestic cup(s) | Lebanese Cup |
International cup(s) | FIBA Asia Champions Cup Arab Club Basketball Championship |
Current champions | Al Riyadi (16th title) (2020–21) |
Most championships | Al Riyadi (16 titles) |
CEO | Akram Halabi |
Website | lebanon |
2021–22 Lebanese Basketball League season |
Currently, the league consists of 11 teams, of which six are located in Beirut. The most successful club in the history of the league is Al Riyadi who have won a record 16 championships.
History
The initial Lebanese basketball league was formed in as early as the 1950s; however, it was stopped during the Lebanese Civil War. In 1992, the league was reformed into a fully professional format.
In 1997, Sporting Club (Al Riyadi) finished as Lebanese champions, allowing them to participate in the 1998 FIBA Asia Champions Cup . There, they finished 3rd place. That same year, Al Riyadi lost the Lebanese championship to their big rivals Sagesse Club (Hekmeh).
In 1998, Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship. Hekmeh won, the first ever basketball trophy for Lebanon.
In 1999, Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship again. Hekmeh repeated as champions.
Al Riyadi has its greatest success in the Arab Club Championship during the 2000s. They won the title in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010. In 2009, they defeated their fellow Lebanese team Hekmeh in the final, the first time two Lebanese teams met in the final. The 2009 tournament was held in Beirut.
Overview
The league is known due to the success of the Lebanese teams in the Asian competitions such as the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, Arab Club Championship, and West Asian Basketball League. Many undrafted and free agent players from Europe and the NBA play in the Lebanese league.
The league is the first division in Lebanese basketball. The team that finishes last each season is relegated to the Second Division, while the Second Division's top four teams compete in a play-off system. The team that wins is promoted for the next season.
Competition
There are 11 teams in the league. They play a round-robin format; each team plays all other teams once home and once away. At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams enter the playoffs and play a best of 5 series in the quarterfinals. The winners of the quarterfinals advance to the best of seven series in the semifinals. The two teams that advance play a best of seven series in the final, and the winner is the league champion.
Teams
The following 11 teams play in the 2021–22 season.
Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Al Riyadi | Beirut | Saeb Salam Arena | 2,000 |
Anibal Zahle | Antelias | Anibal Court | 1,000 |
Antranik | Antelias | AGBU Demirdjian Center | |
Atlas | Ferzol | ||
Byblos Club | Byblos | Mr. Carlos Slim & Michel Suleiman Stadium | |
Beirut Club | Beirut | ||
Champville | Dik El Mehdi | Champville Club | 7,086 |
Dynamo | Beirut (Saifi Village) | Nohad Nawfal Stadium | |
Homenetmen | Beirut (Mzher) | Adom & Sella Tenjukian Stadium | 1,000 |
Hoops Club | Beirut (Jdeideh) | Michel Murr Complex | |
Sagesse | Beirut (Achrafieh) | Antoine Choueiri Stadium | 5,000 |
FLB League (Standings since 1993)
Season | Champion | Runner-up |
---|---|---|
1992–1993 | Al Riyadi | Kahraba Zouk |
1993–1994 | Sagesse | Kahraba Zouk |
1994–1995 | Al Riyadi | Kahraba Zouk |
1995–1996 | League Cancelled | |
1996–1997 | Al Riyadi | Tadamon Zouk |
1997–1998 | Sagesse | Tadamon Zouk |
1998–1999 | Sagesse | Tadamon Zouk |
1999–2000 | Sagesse | Antranik Beirut |
2000–2001 | Sagesse | Champville |
2001–2002 | Sagesse | Champville |
2002–2003 | Sagesse | Al Riyadi |
2003–2004 | Sagesse | Al Riyadi |
2004–2005 | Al Riyadi | Sagesse |
2005–2006 | Al Riyadi | Sagesse |
2006–2007 | Al Riyadi | Blue Stars |
2007–2008 | Al Riyadi | Mouttahed |
2008–2009 | Al Riyadi | Mouttahed |
2009–2010 | Al Riyadi | Champville |
2010–2011 | Al Riyadi | Champville |
2011–2012 | Champville | Anibal |
2012–2013 | League Cancelled | |
2013–2014 | Al Riyadi | Sagesse |
2014–2015 | Al Riyadi | Byblos Club |
2015–2016 | Al Riyadi | Sagesse |
2016–2017 | Al Riyadi | Homenetmen |
2017–2018 | Homenetmen | Al Riyadi |
2018–2019 | Al Riyadi | Beirut Club |
2019–2020 | League Cancelled | |
2020–2021 | Al Riyadi | Champville |
Wins by Team
Club | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
Al Riyadi | 16 |
3 |
1992–93, 1994–1995, 1996–97, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21 | 2002–03, 2003–04, 2017–18 |
Sagesse | 8 |
4 |
1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 | 2004–05, 2005–06, 2013–14, 2015–16 |
Champville | 1 |
5 |
2011–12 | 2000–01, 2001–02, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2020–21 |
Homenetmen | 1 |
1 |
2017–18 | 2016–17 |
Kahraba Zouk | 0 |
3 |
1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 | |
Tadamon Zouk | 0 |
3 |
1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99 | |
Mouttahed | 0 |
2 |
2007–08, 2008–09 | |
Antranik Beirut | 0 |
1 |
1999–2000 | |
Blue Stars | 0 |
1 |
2006–07 | |
Anibal | 0 |
1 |
2011–12 | |
Byblos Club | 0 |
1 |
2014–15 | |
Beirut Club | 0 |
1 |
2018–19 |
Rivalries
The Big Rivalry
- Al Riyadi vs Sagesse Club. It is the Biggest Rivalry in the league, a classical match up since 1994 between the two most successful teams in Lebanon and two of the most successful clubs in the Arab world and Asia, it is also known as the Derby of Beirut.
Other Rivalries
Notable players
- Bassel Bawji
- Rony Fahed
- Rodrigue Akl
- Roy Samaha
- Ali Haidar
- Elie Stephan
- Elie Rustom
- Elie Mechantaf
- Ali Mezher
- Wael Arakji
- Mohammad Ibrahim
- Amir Saoud
- Fadi El Khatib
- Joe Vogel
- Rony Fahed
- Ali Mahmoud
- Brian Beshara
- Jean Abdelnour
- Sabah Khoury
- Omar El Turk
- Ghaleb Rida
- Ali Kanaan
- Billy Pharis
- Daniel Faris
- Matt Freije
- / Ekene Ibekwe
- Ace Custis
- DeWayne Jackson
- Patrick Rembert
- Dion Dixon
- Corey Williams
- Samaki Walker
- Brian Cook
- Tony Madison
- Alvin Sims
- C.J. Giles
- Darryl Watkins
- Lee Nailon
- Herbert Hill
- Jumaine Jones
- Loren Woods
- Priest Lauderdale
- Dewarick Spencer
- Flip Murray
- Desmond Penigar
- Rasheim Wright
- Marcus Haislip
- Harold Jamison
- Andre Emmett
- Nate Johnson
- Marc Salyers
- Earl Barron
- Scotty Thurman
- Rick Hughes
- DeShawn Sims
- Aaron Harper
- LeRoy Hurd
- Tre Kelley
- Sam Hoskin
- Quincy Douby
- Ronnie Fields
- Willie Burton
- Marlon Parmer
- Booker Woodfox
- Reyshawn Terry
- DerMarr Johnson
- Rashad Anderson
- Jerald Honeycutt
- Hassan Whiteside
- Terrell Stoglin
- Dickey Simpkins
- Cedric Henderson
- Jeremiah Massey
- Ruben Patterson
- Rashad McCants
- Sherell Ford
- Jamal Robinson
- Aleksandar Radojević
- Alpha Bangura
- Ismail Ahmed
- Ali Traore
- Ndudi Ebi
- Nikoloz Tskitishvili
- Jeleel Akindele
- Dalibor Bagarić
- Asghar Kardoust
- Hamed Haddadi
- Ratko Varda
- Vladan Vukosavljević
- Sani Sakakini
- Michael Madanly
- Marcus Banks
- Walter Hodge
- Makrem Ben Romdhane
- Sam Young (basketball)
- Rony Seikaly
Notable coaches
- Ghassan Sarkis
- Joe Moujaes
- Joe Ghattas
- George Geagea
- Slobodan Subotić
- Ilias Zouros
- Nenad Vucinic
- Veselin Matic
- Dragan Raca
- Tab Baldwin
Women's league
2019–20 teams:
- Antranik SC
- Al Riyadi Club Beirut
- Homenetmen Antelias
- Hoops Club
- Chabibeh
- Energy Sports Club
See also
References
- "Asia-Basket". www.asia-basket.com. Retrieved 2021-05-25.