Lebanese Basketball League
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Current season, competition or edition:![]() |
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Sport | Basketball |
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Founded | 1992 (new format) |
CEO | Pierre Kakhia |
Claim to fame | "The pre-eminent professional men's basketball league in Western Asia" |
No. of teams | 10 |
Country | ![]() |
Continent | FIBA Asia (Asia) |
Most recent champion(s) | Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut (11 titles) |
Most titles | Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut(11 titles) |
TV partner(s) | LBCI, TL |
Official website | FLBB.com |
The Lebanese Basketball League or FLB League or XXL LEBANESE BASKETBALL LEAGUE (or formerly know as PEPSI LEBANESE BASKETBALL LEAGUE) is the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Lebanon and one of the top leagues in Asia. It is organised annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB).
Currently the Men's Division A league is made up of ten teams and it is named the XXL LEBANESE BASKETBALL LEAGUE due to sponsorship reasons.
Contents
History
The initial Lebanese basketball league was formed in as early as the 1950s and was stopped during the civil war. After the war ended, in 1994 the league was totally reformed in a new fully professional format that is being since the foundation of the league today.
A short glimps to the start of the golden days and rise to fame: in 1997 Sporting Club (Al Riyadi) finished as Lebanese champions, the next season they went to participate in the Asian championship they reached the 3rd place and on their return to Beirut the Lebanese fans were on the streets to celebrate this achievement. The same year in 1998 Riyadi lost the Lebanese championship to their big rivals Sagesse Club (Hekmeh). Lebanon hosted a big tournament, the Arab club Championship Which Sagesse won to be the 1st ever trophy for Lebanon. Beirut did not sleep that night all over the country people were on the roads partying till dawn, the next day all the schools were closed as a national holiday. In 1999 Beirut hosted the Asian Championship for clubs, Sagesse managed to win the first ever Asian title for any Lebanese or Arab team, celebrations were all over the country. This same year Sagesse managed to retain their title in the Arab club Championship which was held for the second consecutive time in Beirut. In May 2000, Lebanon once more hosted the Asian Championship for clubs and again Sagesse Club won it and created history for being the only team to win the championship two consecutive times.
Overview
The league itself is most known in Asia due to the success of the Lebanese teams in the Asian competitions such as the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, Arab Club Championship, and West Asian Basketball League. Many undrafted and free agent players from Europe and the NBA play in the Lebanese league.
The league is the first division in Lebanese basketball, the team that finishes last in a season is relegated to the Division 2, while the Second Division's top 4 teams compete in a play-off system right after the end of the regular season, with the team that reaches the finals series being promoted to the Lebanese League for the following season.
The Competition
There are 10 teams in the league and they play against each other twice in the league, once at their home and the other away. At the end of those two rounds, the final 8 teams enter to the playoffs they play three games series. The winners of the Quarterfinals advance to the best of four game series Semifinals. The two teams that advance play best of four games in the Final to determine the league champion. The season starts in December and ends in May
FLB League (Standings since 1993)
Rivalries
The Big Rivalry
- Al Riyadi vs Sagesse Club. It is the Biggest Rivalry in the league, a classical match up since 1994 between the two most successful teams in Lebanon and two of the most successful clubs in the Arab world and Asia, it is also known as the Derby of Beirut.
Other Rivalries
Current clubs
Single Season, Individual (May Not Be Fully Accurate)
Record | Num. | Player | Team | Season |
---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 1356 | Terrell Stoglin | Hekmeh BC | 2014–15 |
Rebounds | 521 | Loren Woods | Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut | 2010–11 |
Assists | 211 | Rodrigue Akl | Hekmeh BC | 2013–14 |
3-pointers | 114 | Terrell Stoglin | Hekmeh BC | 2015–16 |
Blocks | 65 | Julian Khazzouh | Hekmeh BC | 2013–14 |
Steals | 232 | Ali Mahmoud | Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut | 2004–05 |
Division A Women
- Antranik SC
- Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut
- Homenetmen Antelias (titleholder)
- Hoops Club
- Al Mouttahed Tripoli
- Arab Youth
- Chabibeh
- Tadamon
Notable players
Mohammad Ibrahim
Amir Saoud
Fadi El Khatib
Carl Chemaly
Marcito
Georges Akiki
Johnny Karam
Johnny Karl
Joe Vogel
Rony Fahed
Ali Mahmoud
Brian Beshara
Rami Ayyash
Jean Abdelnour
Sabah Khoury
Omar El Turk
Ghaleb Rida
Ali Kanaan
Billy Pharis
Daniel Faris
Matt Freije
Vatche Bouldoukian
Mohamad Acha
Ace Custis
Dion Dixon
Corey Williams
Samaki Walker
Brian Cook
Tony Madison
Alvin Sims
Abdual Hoggard
C.J. Giles
Darryl Watkins
Lee Nailon
Herbert Hill
Jumaine Jones
Loren Woods
Lee Benson
Priest Lauderdale
Dewarick Spencer
Flip Murray
Desmond Penigar
Rasheim Wright
Marcus Haislip
Harold Jamison
Andre Emmett
Nate Johnson
Marc Salyers
Earl Barron
Scotty Thurman
Rick Hughes
DeShawn Sims
Aaron Harper
LeRoy Hurd
Tre Kelley
Sam Hoskin
Quincy Douby
Ronnie Fields
Willie Burton
Marlon Parmer
Corey Williams
Booker Woodfox
Reyshawn Terry
DerMarr Johnson
Rashad Anderson
Jerald Honeycutt
Hassan Whiteside
Terrell Stoglin
Dickey Simpkins
Cedric Henderson
Jeremiah Massey
Ruben Patterson
Rashad McCants
Sherell Ford
Michael Cumberland
Jamal Robinson
Assane N'Diaye
Aleksandar Radojević
Alpha Bangura
Sergey Shchepotkin
Ismael Ahmad
Ali Traore
Ndudi Ebi
Nikoloz Tskitishvili
Jeleel Akindele
Dalibor Bagarić
Asghar Kardoust
Ratko Varda
Vladan Vukosavljevic
Sani Sakakini
Michael Madanly
Marcus Banks
Notable coaches
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Notable women players
- Fay Prince
- Shada Nasr
- Nayla Alameddine Jaroudi
- Aida Bakhos
- Nisrine Dandan
- Rebecca Akl
- Nathalie Sevadjian
- Emma Eskedjian
Notable coaches of women teams
- Elie Nasr
- Tigran Nochkatdjian
- Vicken Eskedjian
- Nemanja Bjedov
See also
References
External links
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- Lebanese Basketball League
- Basketball competitions in Lebanon
- Basketball leagues in Asia
- Women's basketball leagues in Asia
- Sports leagues established in 1994
- 1994 establishments in Lebanon
- Sports leagues in Lebanon