Lebanese Basketball League
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2024) |
Organising body | Lebanese Basketball Federation (LFB) |
---|---|
Founded | 1951 1992 (Current format) |
First season | 1951–52 |
Country | File:Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon |
Confederation | FIBA Asia (Asia) West Asia Basketball Association (West Asia) |
Number of teams | 12 |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
Relegation to | Division 2 |
Domestic cup(s) | Lebanese Cup |
International cup(s) | Basketball Champions League Asia FIBA West Asia Super League Arab Club Basketball Championship |
Current champions | Al Riyadi (31th title) (2023–24) |
Most championships | Al Riyadi (31 titles) |
TV partners | MTV (Lebanon) |
Website | lebanon |
File:Basketball current event.svg 2023–24 Lebanese Basketball League |
The Lebanese Basketball League is recognized as 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] Currently, the league consists of 12 teams, of which six are located in Beirut. The most successful club in the history of the league is Al Riyadi Club Beirut.
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 its current fully professional format. In 1998, Sporting Club (Al Riyadi) finished third in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, that same year Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship where Sagesse Club (Hekmeh) won, it was the first ever Arab basketball trophy for Lebanon. In 1999, Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship, Hekmeh were crowned champions again, in addition to being the first Lebanese and first Arab team to win the Asian cup. The 1999 season was inaugurated by a huge event that included an exhibition game between Lebanese All-stars (represented by the top four teams Sagesse, Riyadi, Tadamon, and Rosaire) and Harlem Globetrotters. [2]
Overview
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 10 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 5 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.[citation needed]
Teams
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The following 10 teams play in the 2023–24 season.
Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Al Riyadi | Beirut | Saeb Salam Arena | 2,500 |
Antranik | Antelias | AGBU Demirdjian Center | 2,000 |
Antonine | Baabda | Antonine Arena | 1,000 |
Beirut Club | Beirut | Chiyah Stadium | 2,500 |
Champville Maristes | Dik El Mehdi | Champville Club Center | 3,500 |
Mayrouba | Jounieh | Club Central | 1,000 |
Homenetmen | Mezher | Homentmen Mezher | 1,000 |
Hoops Club | Dora | Michel El Murr Complex | 2,000 |
NSA | Jounieh | Fouad Chehab Stadium | 1,200 |
Sagesse | Ghazir | Antoine Choueiri Stadium | 5,000 |
Champions
Wins by year
- FLB League (standings since 1993)
Wins by team
Club | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
Al Riyadi | 18 | 4 | 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, 2022–23, 2023–2024 | 2000–01, 2002–03, 2017–18, 2021–22 |
Sagesse | 8 | 5 | 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 | 2004–05, 2005–06, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2023–2024 |
Champville | 1 | 5 | 2011–12 | 2001–02, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2020–21 |
Homenetmen | 1 | 1 | 2017–18 | 2016–17 |
Beirut | 1 | 1 | 2021–22 | 2018–19 |
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 | 0 | 1 | 2014–15 | |
Dynamo | 0 | 1 | 2022–23 |
Rivalries
The Big Rivalry
Other Rivalries
- Al Riyadi vs Champville
- Homenetmen Beirut vs Al Riyadi
- Champville vs Sagesse Club
- Tadamon Zouk vs Sagesse Club
- Antranik vs Homenetmen Beirut
- Tadamon Zouk vs Kahraba Zouk
Notable players
- Lebanon Bassel Bawji
- Lebanon Rony Fahed
- Lebanon Hayk Gyokchyan
- Lebanon Rodrigue Akl
- Lebanon Roy Samaha
- Lebanon Ali Haidar
- Lebanon Elie Stephan
- Lebanon Elie Rustom
- Lebanon Elie Mechantaf
- Lebanon Ali Mezher
- Lebanon Wael Arakji
- Lebanon Mohammad Ibrahim
- Lebanon Ahmad Ibrahim
- Lebanon Amir Saoud
- Lebanon Fadi El Khatib
- Lebanon Joe Vogel
- Lebanon Ali Mahmoud
- Lebanon Brian Beshara
- Lebanon Jean Abdelnour
- Lebanon Sabah Khoury
- Lebanon Omar El Turk
- Lebanon Ghaleb Rida
- Lebanon Ali Kanaan
- Lebanon Billy Pharis
- Lebanon Daniel Faris
- Lebanon Matt Freije
- Nigeria/United States Ekene Ibekwe
- Australia South Sudan Duop Reath
- United States Jean-Paul Afif
- United States Samaki Walker
- United States Cliff Alexander
- United States Kerwin Roach
- United States Hassan Whiteside
- United States Shabazz Muhammad
- United States Rashad McCants
- United States Jeremy Pargo
- United States Norvel Pelle
- United States Isaiah Austin
- United States Danny Pippen
- United States JJ Hickson
- United States Mike Taylor (basketball player)
- United States Troy Williams
- United States Diamond Stone
- United States Zach Lofton
- United States Kevin Murphy (basketball)
- United States Ace Custis
- United States DeWayne Jackson
- United States Patrick Rembert
- United States Dion Dixon
- United States Corey Williams
- United States Brian Cook
- United States Tony Madison
- United States Alvin Sims
- United States C.J. Giles
- United States Darryl Watkins
- United States Lee Nailon
- United States Herbert Hill
- United States Jumaine Jones
- United States Loren Woods
- United States Priest Lauderdale
- United States Dewarick Spencer
- United States Flip Murray
- United States Desmond Penigar
- United States Rasheim Wright
- United States Marcus Haislip
- United States Harold Jamison
- United States Andre Emmett
- United States Nate Johnson
- United States Marc Salyers
- United States Earl Barron
- United States Scotty Thurman
- United States Rick Hughes
- United States DeShawn Sims
- United States Aaron Harper
- United States LeRoy Hurd
- United States Tre Kelley
- United States Sam Hoskin
- United States Quincy Douby
- United States Ronnie Fields
- United States Willie Burton
- United States Marlon Parmer
- United States Booker Woodfox
- United States Reyshawn Terry
- United States DerMarr Johnson
- United States Rashad Anderson
- United States Jerald Honeycutt
- United States Terrell Stoglin
- United States Dickey Simpkins
- United States Cedric Henderson
- United States Jeremiah Massey
- United States Ruben Patterson
- United States Sherell Ford
- United States Jamal Robinson
- United States Nate Robinson
- United States Jonathan Gibson
- United States Cleanthony Early
- United StatesSerbia Nick Rakocevic
- United States Jordan Dar Tucker
- Australia South Sudan Lebanon Ater Majok
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Aleksandar Radojević
- Sierra LeoneLibya Alpha Bangura
- Egypt Ismail Ahmad
- Tunisia Salah Mejri
- France Ali Traore
- Nigeria Ndudi Ebi
- Georgia (country) Nikoloz Tskitishvili
- Nigeria Jeleel Akindele
- Croatia Dalibor Bagarić
- Iran Asghar Kardoust
- Iran Hamed Haddadi
- Serbia Ratko Varda
- Serbia Vladan Vukosavljević
- State of Palestine Sani Sakakini
- Syria Michael Madanly
- United States Marcus Banks
- United States Virgin Islands Walter Hodge
- Tunisia Makrem Ben Romdhane
- United States Sam Young (basketball)
- United States Lebanon Rony Seikaly
- United States Philippines Justin Brownlee
- Australia South Sudan Thon Maker
Notable coaches
References
- ↑ "Asia-Basket". www.asia-basket.com. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ↑ "افتتاح بطولات لبنان لموسم 98/99 عروض لالهارلم مع اندية النخبة اللبنانية".