Lebanese Basketball League
Template:Short description Template:More citations Template:Infobox basketball league The Lebanese Basketball League, officially Decathlon Lebanese Basketball League for sponsorship reasons,[1] 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).[2]
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. [3]
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 12 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.Template:Fact
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 | Template:Nts |
| Antranik | Antelias | AGBU Demirdjian Center | Template:Nts |
| Antonine | Baabda | Antonine Arena | Template:Nts |
| Beirut Club | Beirut | Chiyah Stadium | Template:Nts |
| Champville Maristes | Dik El Mehdi | Champville Club Center | Template:Nts |
| Club Central Jounieh | Jounieh | Club Central | Template:Nts |
| Mayrouba | |||
| Homenetmen | Mezher | Homentmen Mezher | Template:Nts |
| Hoops Club | Dora | Michel El Murr Complex | Template:Nts |
| NSA | Jounieh | Fouad Chehab Stadium | Template:Nts |
| Sagesse | Ghazir | Antoine Choueiri Stadium | Template:Nts |
| Tadamon Zouk | Zouk Mikael | Nouhad Nawfal Stadium | Template:Nts |
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 |
| Aamal Bikfaya | 1 | 0 | 1991-92 | |
| 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
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- Template:Flagicon Bassel Bawji
- Template:Flagicon Rony Fahed
- Template:Flagicon Hayk Gyokchyan
- Template:Flagicon Rodrigue Akl
- Template:Flagicon Roy Samaha
- Template:Flagicon Ali Haidar
- Template:Flagicon Elie Stephan
- Template:Flagicon Elie Rustom
- Template:Flagicon Elie Mechantaf
- Template:Flagicon Ali Mezher
- Template:Flagicon Wael Arakji
- Template:Flagicon Mohammad Ibrahim
- Template:Flagicon Ahmad Ibrahim
- Template:Flagicon Amir Saoud
- Template:Flagicon Fadi El Khatib
- Template:Flagicon Joe Vogel
- Template:Flagicon Ali Mahmoud
- Template:Flagicon Brian Beshara
- Template:Flagicon Jean Abdelnour
- Template:Flagicon Sabah Khoury
- Template:Flagicon Omar El Turk
- Template:Flagicon Ghaleb Rida
- Template:Flagicon Ali Kanaan
- Template:Flagicon Billy Pharis
- Template:Flagicon Daniel Faris
- Template:Flagicon Matt Freije
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon Ekene Ibekwe
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Duop Reath
- Template:Flagicon Jean-Paul Afif
- Template:Flagicon Samaki Walker
- Template:Flagicon Cliff Alexander
- Template:Flagicon Kerwin Roach
- Template:Flagicon Hassan Whiteside
- Template:Flagicon Shabazz Muhammad
- Template:Flagicon Rashad McCants
- Template:Flagicon Jeremy Pargo
- Template:Flagicon Norvel Pelle
- Template:Flagicon Isaiah Austin
- Template:Flagicon Danny Pippen
- Template:Flagicon JJ Hickson
- Template:Flagicon Mike Taylor (basketball player)
- Template:Flagicon Troy Williams
- Template:Flagicon Diamond Stone
- Template:Flagicon Zach Lofton
- Template:Flagicon Kevin Murphy (basketball)
- Template:Flagicon Ace Custis
- Template:Flagicon DeWayne Jackson
- Template:Flagicon Patrick Rembert
- Template:Flagicon Dion Dixon
- Template:Flagicon Corey Williams
- Template:Flagicon Brian Cook
- Template:Flagicon Tony Madison
- Template:Flagicon Alvin Sims
- Template:Flagicon C.J. Giles
- Template:Flagicon Darryl Watkins
- Template:Flagicon Lee Nailon
- Template:Flagicon Herbert Hill
- Template:Flagicon Jumaine Jones
- Template:Flagicon Loren Woods
- Template:Flagicon Priest Lauderdale
- Template:Flagicon Dewarick Spencer
- Template:Flagicon Flip Murray
- Template:Flagicon Desmond Penigar
- Template:Flagicon Rasheim Wright
- Template:Flagicon Marcus Haislip
- Template:Flagicon Harold Jamison
- Template:Flagicon Andre Emmett
- Template:Flagicon Nate Johnson
- Template:Flagicon Marc Salyers
- Template:Flagicon Earl Barron
- Template:Flagicon Scotty Thurman
- Template:Flagicon Rick Hughes
- Template:Flagicon DeShawn Sims
- Template:Flagicon Aaron Harper
- Template:Flagicon LeRoy Hurd
- Template:Flagicon Tre Kelley
- Template:Flagicon Sam Hoskin
- Template:Flagicon Quincy Douby
- Template:Flagicon Ronnie Fields
- Template:Flagicon Willie Burton
- Template:Flagicon Marlon Parmer
- Template:Flagicon Booker Woodfox
- Template:Flagicon Reyshawn Terry
- Template:Flagicon DerMarr Johnson
- Template:Flagicon Rashad Anderson
- Template:Flagicon Jerald Honeycutt
- Template:Flagicon Terrell Stoglin
- Template:Flagicon Dickey Simpkins
- Template:Flagicon Cedric Henderson
- Template:Flagicon Jeremiah Massey
- Template:Flagicon Ruben Patterson
- Template:Flagicon Sherell Ford
- Template:Flagicon Jamal Robinson
- Template:Flagicon Nate Robinson
- Template:Flagicon Jonathan Gibson
- Template:Flagicon Cleanthony Early
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Nick Rakocevic
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Dar Tucker
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Ater Majok
- Template:Flagicon Aleksandar Radojević
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Alpha Bangura
- Template:Flagicon Ismail Ahmad
- Template:Flagicon Salah Mejri
- Template:Flagicon Ali Traore
- Template:Flagicon Ndudi Ebi
- Template:Flagicon Nikoloz Tskitishvili
- Template:Flagicon Jeleel Akindele
- Template:Flagicon Dalibor Bagarić
- Template:Flagicon Asghar Kardoust
- Template:Flagicon Hamed Haddadi
- Template:Flagicon Ratko Varda
- Template:Flagicon Vladan Vukosavljević
- Template:Flagicon Sani Sakakini
- Template:Flagicon Michael Madanly
- Template:Flagicon Marcus Banks
- Template:Flagicon Walter Hodge
- Template:Flagicon Makrem Ben Romdhane
- Template:Flagicon Sam Young (basketball)
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Rony Seikaly
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Justin Brownlee
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Thon Maker
Notable coaches
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References
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External links
- Brief Breakdown
- Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB) website
- Lebanese Basketball League Facebook
- Lebanese Basketball League Twitter
- Lebanese Basketball League Twitter
Template:Basketball in Lebanon Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Lebanese Sport leagues Template:Men's professional basketball leagues Template:Women's professional basketball leagues