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Organising body | Lebanese Basketball Federation (LFB) |
---|---|
Founded | 1951 1992 (Current format) |
First season | 1951–52 |
Country | 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 |
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.
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]
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.
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 ]
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 |
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 | 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 | 2000–01, 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 |
The Big Rivalry
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