ABA League Second Division

ABA League Second Division

ABA2 League Vertical logo
Founded	July 2017;7 years ago (2017-07)
First season	2017–18
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina   Croatia   Montenegro   North Macedonia   Serbia   Slovenia
Confederation	FIBA Europe
Number of teams	16
Level on pyramid	2nd
Promotion to	ABA League First Division
Supercup	ABA Supercup
International cup(s)	Champions League
Current champions	Spartak Office Shoes (1st title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Krka (2 titles)
TV partners	Arena Sport
Website	druga.aba-liga.com
2023–24 season

The ABA League Second Division, also ABA League 2, is the 2nd-tier men's basketball division of the ABA League system. It is run by the ABA League JTD. It is a regional competition between men's professional clubs from six countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia.

History

The ABA League Assembly, held on 24 July 2017, in Belgrade, Serbia, decided to organize the ABA League Second Division with 12 participants. Based on the results in the national championships and by taking into account which clubs have sent applications for participation in the ABA League Second Division, these teams will play in the inaugural season of the ABA League Second Division. ^[1]

Teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia previously played similar second-tier competition called First B Federal League when they were part of SFR Yugoslavia. The First B Federal League was played for 11 seasons from 1980 to 1991.

On 12 March 2020, the ABA League Assembly temporarily suspended the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[2] On 27 May 2020, the ABA League Assembly canceled definitely the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[3] On 29 June 2020, the Assembly decided to extend the number of clubs from 12 to 14 until the 2024–25 season. ^[4] Further on 15 July 2024 Assembly changed competition format to number 16 teams divided into 4 groups of 4 teams each. ^[5]

Seasons

Season	Champion	Runner-up	Top seed	Champion's Coach	Finals MVP
2017–18	Krka	Sixt Primorska	Borac Čačak	Simon Petrov	Marko Jošilo
2018–19	Sixt Primorska	MZT Skopje	Sixt Primorska	Goran Jagodnik	Marko Jagodić-Kuridža
2019–20	Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic		Borac Čačak	None	Not awarded
2020–21	Studentski centar	Spars	Studentski centar	Nenad Trajković	Marko Tejić
2021–22	Zlatibor	MZT Skopje	MZT Skopje	Strajin Nedović	Dušan Kutlešić
2022–23	Krka	Helios Suns	Helios Suns	Jure Balažič	Mate Vucić
2023–24	Spartak Office Shoes	Vojvodina MTS	Spartak Office Shoes	Vlada Jovanović	Filip Barna

First Division promotion and relegation

The champions of the Second Division are promoted to a following Adriatic League First Division season, while the last-placed team in the First Division are relegated to a following season of the Second Division. ^[1] Also, as of the 2018–19 season, the 11th placed team of the ABA League First Division and the 2nd placed team of the Second Division, will play in the Qualifiers for a spot in the First Division for the following season. ^[6]

Season	Promotion to First Division	Relegation from First Division
2016–17	None	Krka (14)
2017–18	Krka (1)	MZT Skopje Aerodrom (12)
2018–19	Primorska (1)	Petrol Olimpija [Note 1] (12)
2019–20	Borac Čačak; Split [Note 2]	None
2020–21	Studentski centar ( 1 )	Koper Primorska [Note 3]
2021–22	MZT Skopje Aerodrom ( Finalist )	Krka ( 14 )
2022–23	Krka ( Champion )	MZT Skopje Aerodrom ( 14 )
2023–24	Spartak Office Shoes ( Champion )	None

Current clubs

Borac

Bosna

Cedevita Junior

Ilirija

Helios Suns

MZT

Pelister

Podgorica

Rabotnički

Šibenka

Široki

Sutjeska

Teodo

Vojvodina

Joker

Zlatibor

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Location of teams in the 2024–25 season

Team	Home city	Arena	Capacity
Borac	Banja Luka	Borik Sports Hall	3,060
Bosna	Sarajevo	Mirza Delibašić Hall	6,500
Cedevita Junior	Zagreb	Dom Sportova	3,100
Helios Suns	Domžale	Komunalni center Hall	2,500
Ilirija	Ljubljana	Tivoli Hall	4,500
MZT Skopje Aerodrom	Skopje	Jane Sandanski	7,500
Pelister	Bitola	Sports Hall Boro Čurlevski	5,000
Podgorica	Podgorica	Bemax Arena	2,000
Rabotnički	Šenčur	Gradski Park	1,400
Šibenka	Šibenik	Baldekin Sports Hall	900
Široki	Široki Brijeg	Pecara Sports Hall	4,500
Sutjeska	Nikšić	Nikšić Sports Center	3,000
Teodo	Tivat	Dvorana Župa Tivat	1,500
Vojvodina	Novi Sad	SPC Vojvodina	7,022
Joker	Sombor	Mostonga Hall	1,000
Zlatibor	Čajetina	Čajetina Sports Hall	500

All-time participants

The following is a list of clubs that have played in the Second Division, at any time, since its formation in 2017, to the current season.

Key

1D	Played in the First Division
Cn.	Canceled season
LR	Lose right to compete in the next season
Defunct	Defunct teams
1st	Champions
2nd	Runners-up
SF	Semni-finalists
Bold	Teams playing in the 2024–25 season
R	Regular season winners

List of participants

Note: Statistics are correct through the start of the 2024–25 season.

The 2019–20 season was canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.

Team	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	24	Total seasons	Highest finish
Borac Banja Luka	—	—	—	QF	SF	QF	9th	TBD	5	Semi-finals
Bosna	11th	—	—	—	—	—	—	TBD	2	11th
Sloboda Tuzla	—	—	Cn.	—	—	—	—	—	1	–
Spars	—	SF	Cn.	2nd	QF	12th	—	—	5	Runners-up
Široki	—	—	Cn.	9th	SF	SF	QF	TBD	6	Semi-finals
Zrinjski	7th	9th	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	7th
Cedevita Junior	—	—	—	—	—	—	12th	TBD	2	12th
Gorica	—	—	—	10th	—	13th	—	—	2	10th
Šibenka	—	—	—	—	—	—	13th	TBD	2	13th
Split	8th	8th	Cn.	1D					3	8th
Vrijednosnice Osijek	—	—	—	—	14th	14th	—	—	2	14th
Lovćen 1947	6th	7th	Cn.	12th	13th	—	—	—	5	6th
Podgorica	—	—	—	SF	10th	SF	SF	TBD	5	Semi-finals
Studentski centar	—	—	—	1stR	1D				1	Champions
Sutjeska	—	6th	Cn.	13th	QF	QF	QF	TBD	7	6th
Teodo	9th	—	—	—	—	—	—	TBD	2	9th
AV Ohrid	12th	LR	Defunct						1	12th
MZT Skopje	1D	2nd	Cn.	QF	2ndR	1D	SF	TBD	6	Runners-up
Pelister	—	—	—	—	11th	QF	10th	TBD	4	Quarter-finals
Rabotnički	—	—	—	11th	—	—	—	TBD	2	11th
TFT Skopje	—	—	—	—	—	11th	14th	—	2	11th
Borac Čačak	SFR	SF	Cn.	1D					3	Semi-finals
Dynamic	10th	5th	Cn.	—	—	—	—	—	3	5th
Joker	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	TBD	1	TBD
Mladost Zemun	—	—	—	SF	QF	—	—	—	2	Semi-finals
Novi Pazar	—	—	Cn.	—	—	—	—	—	1	–
Sloboda Užice	—	—	—	QF	—	—	—	—	1	Quarter-finals
Sloga Kraljevo	—	—	—	—	—	9th	—	—	1	9th
Spartak Subotica	—	—	—	—	—	—	1stR	1D	1	Champions
Vojvodina	—	—	—	—	9th	—	2nd	TBD	3	Runners-up
Vršac	SF	12th	LR	—	—	—	—	—	2	Semi-finals
Zlatibor	—	—	—	QF	1st	QF	QF	TBD	5	Champions
Helios Suns	—	11th	Cn.	14th	QF	2ndR	QF	TBD	7	Runners-up
Ilirija	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	TBD	1	TBD
Krka	1st	1D				1st	1D		2	Champions
Primorska	2nd	1stR	1D		Defunct				2	Champions
Rogaška	5th	10th	Cn.	—	12th	—	—	—	4	5th
Šenčur	—	—	—	—	—	10th	11th	—	2	10th

See also

• Yugoslav First B Federal League
• ABA League Supercup

Notes

1. ^
   Olimpija Ljubljana and Cedevita Zagreb made a merger and established a new club based in Ljubljana in July 2019 under the name Cedevita Olimpija. ^[7]
2. ^
   Borac Čačak and Split were awarded with wild cards to participate in the 2020–21 ABA League First Division. ^[3]
3. ^
   Koper Primorska was disqualified from the ABA League in December 2020 after failing to play two consecutive games due to financial problems. ^[8] Later that month, the club also withdrew from the Slovenian League and was disbanded. ^{[9] [10]}

References

1. "The ABA League Second Division will start from the 2017/18 season". aba-liga.com. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
2. "ABA competitions suspended". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
3. "Conclusions of the ABA League j.t.d. Assembly". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
4. "29 June 2020 - Conclusions of the ABA League j.t.d. Assembly". druga.aba-liga.com. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
5. "First Phase Groups have been drawn". druga.aba-liga.com. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
6. "Important decisions confirmed at the ABA League j.t.d. Assembly Session". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
7. "Rimac trener Cedevite Olimpije, prva okrepitev Edo Murić". rtvslo.si. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
8. Maver, Rok (17 December 2020). "Koper Primorska izključena iz lige Aba". Primorske novice (in Slovenian). Retrieved 21 December 2020.
9. S. J. (23 December 2020). "Koper izstopil tudi iz domačih tekmovanj" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija . Retrieved 23 December 2020.
10. Jamnik, Tilen (25 December 2020). "Žakelj ob koncu Primorske: Na tak način ni moglo več iti" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija . Retrieved 25 December 2020.

External links

• Official website
• Adriatic League page at Eurobasket.com