WABA League

Last updated

WABA League
Current season, competition or edition:
Basketball current event.svg 2023–24 WABA League
WABA League logo 2017.jpg
Official logo of the WABA League
Sport Basketball
Founded2001
First season2001–02
No. of teams 12
CountryFlag of Austria.svg  Austria
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
Continent FIBA Europe
Most recent
champion(s)
Flag of Slovenia.svg Cinkarna Celje
(5th title)
Most titles Flag of Croatia.svg Šibenik
(5 titles)
Official website waba-league.com

WABA League, commonly known as the Adriatic League, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring female teams from Serbia, Montenegro, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia. Clubs from Turkey, North Macedonia, Hungary and Italy had their representatives in WABA League in past seasons. Since 2012 a Cadet WABA League and since 2014 Pionir WABA League is also played.

Contents

History

Formation and early years

WABA League was established in 2001 as EWWL League. In its first season, it included six teams from four countries (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). After the regular season, it held a tournament in which the three best teams played, which was won by Athlete Celje. Next season, the league expanded from six to eight teams, and the final tournament was altered so that the placement included the four top teams. At the final tournament, the winner was Željezničar Sarajevo.

Official trophy of WABA League (March 2016) MZRKL trophy.jpg
Official trophy of WABA League (March 2016)

In 2003, the league changed its name to EWWL Trocal League, which lasted until 2006. During these seasons, the number of teams who played in the league varied from nine to twelve. In the period from 2004 to 2006, it had a representative from Macedonia and then one from Bulgaria in the 2006–07 season. Austrian clubs left the competition in 2004. Since 2003, the competing teams have been from Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006, the league changed its name to WABA NBL which was used until 2008. In 2006, the WABA Cup launched, which existed until 2010 and was attended by participants in the league. In 2007, the WABA Cup bore the name Vojko Herskel. In the 2008–09 season, the league was named after WABA Multipover; in 2009–10 season, it was named IWBL.

2010s

In 2010, the league changed its name to MŽRKL. The Vojko Herksel Cup was last played. In the 2012–13 season, the league included the Hungarian PEAC-Pécs, and the Belgrade Partizan achieved a record in its history, playing 32 matches in the national competitions (regional league, championship and cup) all season without suffering a defeat. In the season of 2013–14, the format of the competition changed. The twelve participating teams were divided into two groups of six teams. Four first-placed teams were placed in the quarterfinals, with the winners to the Final Four.

In the 2015-16 season, the league introduced instead of quarterfinals League 6, in which the first phase the two groups are placed by 3 teams. The League 6 transmitted the results achieved against teams from the same group in the first phase they finished the League 6. League 6 plays a dual circuit system (one game at home and one away) against teams that have qualified from the opposite group previous stage of the competition. The four best teams in League 6 advance to the Final Four.

In September 2016, the league officially changed its name to WABA League. [1] In June 2017, the league signed a sponsorship contract with tourist agency BTravel and officially changed its name to BTravel WABA League. [2]

Names in history

Logos

Evolution of the Adriatic League logo
2001–20102010–20162016–20172017–20182018–present
n/a MZRKL.jpg without a logo WABA League logo 2017.jpg n/a

Youth competition

Cadet WABA League

In the season 2012–13, the Cadet League was launched, and since it has shown a lot of success in that period, it has continued to be held. [3] The winner of the first two seasons of cadet WABA League is the team Trešnjevka 2009 from Croatia, when he beat the team of Novi Zagreb [4] and Crvena zvezda. [5] In the third seasonis the champion was the team of Triglav Kranj, Slovenia, which is defeated in the final match of Maribor. [6]

Pionir WABA League

Following the success of cadet league, a decision was made to launch the pioneering leagues. [7] In the first season, the winner of the pioneering league is team Croatia 2006 from Zagreb, Croatia, that won at the team of Jedinstvo Tuzla from Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. [8]

Finals

YearHostFinalThird and fourth place
WinnerScoreRunner-upThird placeFourth place
2001–02
Details
Šibenik (CRO) Flag of Slovenia.svg
Merkur Celje
2:1 Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Željezničar Sarajevo
N / A
2002–03
Details
Sarajevo (BIH) Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Željezničar Sarajevo
84:78 Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Merkur Celje
Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić Industrogradnja
2003–04
Details
Gospić (CRO) Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić Industrogradnja
59:58 Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
Flag of Croatia.svg
Croatia 2006
Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg
Univerziteti Priština
2004–05
Details
Šibenik (CRO) Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
82:66 Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić Industrogradnja
Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg
Vojvodina NIS
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Željezničar Sarajevo
2005–06
Details
Novi Sad (SCG) Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
68:55 Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg
Vojvodina NIS
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Merkur Celje
Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić Croatia Osiguranje
2006–07
Details
Sofia (BUL) Flag of Bulgaria.svg
CSKA Sofia
73:67 Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić Croatia Osiguranje
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Željezničar Sarajevo
2007–08
Details
Gospić (CRO) Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
72:66 Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić Croatia Osiguranje
Flag of Croatia.svg
Ragusa Dubrovnik
Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Podgorica
2008–09
Details
Bijelo Polje (MNE) Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
69:63 Flag of Montenegro.svg
Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje
Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić Croatia Osiguranje
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Merkur Celje
2009–10
Details
Gospić (CRO) Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić
73:65 Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Merkur Celje
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Mladi Krajišnik
2010–11
Details
Šibenik (CRO) Flag of Croatia.svg
Šibenik Jolly JBS
20:0 Flag of Croatia.svg
Gospić
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Merkur Celje
Flag of Serbia.svg
Partizan
2011–12
Details
Zenica (BIH) Flag of Serbia.svg
Partizan Galenika
74:65 Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Čelik Zenica
Flag of Serbia.svg
Voždovac
Flag of Serbia.svg
Hemofarm Štada
2012–13
Details
Novi Sad (SRB) Flag of Serbia.svg
Partizan Galenika
70:45 Flag of Serbia.svg
Radivoj Korać
Flag of Hungary.svg
Peac-Pécs
Flag of Serbia.svg
Vojvodina NIS
2013–14
Details
Podgorica (MNE) Flag of Serbia.svg
Radivoj Korać
87:83 Flag of Serbia.svg
Crvena zvezda
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Athlete Celje
Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Volcano
2014–15
Details
Celje (SLO) Flag of Italy.svg
Umana Reyer Venezia
69:52 Flag of Serbia.svg
Radivoj Korać
Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Volcano
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Athlete Celje
2015–16
Details
Podgorica (MNE) Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
74:58 Flag of Croatia.svg
Medveščak
Flag of Serbia.svg
Radivoj Korać
Flag of Croatia.svg
Kvarner
2016–17
Details
Podgorica (MNE) Flag of Slovenia.svg
Athlete Celje
61:57 Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Beroe
Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Montana 2003
2017–18
Details
Montana (BUL) Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
71:68 Flag of Slovenia.svg
Cinkarna Celje
Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Montana 2003
Flag of Serbia.svg
Crvena zvezda
2018–19
Details
Celje (SLO) Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Beroe
65:64 Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Cinkarna Celje
Flag of Serbia.svg
Crvena zvezda
2019–20
Details
Stara Zagora (BUL) Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
Final four not played Flag of Slovenia.svg
Cinkarna Celje
Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Montana 2003
Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Beroe
2020–21
Details
Stara Zagora (BUL) Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Beroe
66:56 Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Montana 2003
Flag of Slovenia.svg
Cinkarna Celje
2021–22
Details
Podgorica (MNE) Flag of Slovenia.svg
Cinkarna Celje
58:51 Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Orlovi
Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Montana 2003
2022–23
Details
Podgorica (MNE) Flag of Slovenia.svg
Cinkarna Celje
66:64 Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
Flag of Serbia.svg
Vojvodina 021
Flag of Bulgaria.svg
Montana 2003
2023–24
Details
Podgorica (MNE) Flag of Slovenia.svg
Cinkarna Celje
64:59 Flag of Montenegro.svg
Budućnost Bemax
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Orlovi
Flag of Serbia.svg
Sloga Požega

Champions

TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up
Flag of Croatia.svg Šibenik
5
5
2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 20112002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010
Flag of Slovenia.svg Cinkarna Celje
5
2
2002, 2017, 2022, 2023, 20242018, 2020
Flag of Montenegro.svg Budućnost Podgorica
3
5
2016, 2018, 20202019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Flag of Croatia.svg Gospić
2
3
2004, 20102005, 2008, 2011
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Beroe
2
1
2019, 20212017
Flag of Serbia.svg Partizan
2
2012, 2013
Flag of Serbia.svg Radivoj Korać
1
2
20142013, 2015
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Željezničar Sarajevo
1
2003
Flag of Bulgaria.svg CSKA Sofia
1
2007
Flag of Italy.svg Umana Reyer Venezia
1
2015
Flag of Serbia.svg Vojvodina
1
2006
Flag of Montenegro.svg Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje
1
2009
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Čelik Zenica
1
2012
Flag of Serbia.svg Crvena zvezda
1
2014
Flag of Croatia.svg Medveščak
1
2016

Notable persons

Former players

Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia
 
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia
 
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
 

Former coaches

Awards

Sponsors

Title sponsor

See also

References

  1. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga" . Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  2. "Igra i Kraljevo, sutra žreb, sponzor i novo ime lige". 29 June 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga" . Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  4. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga" . Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  5. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga" . Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  6. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga" . Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  7. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga" . Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  8. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga" . Retrieved 29 May 2015.