Lietuvos krepšinio lyga

"LKL" redirects here. For other uses, see LKL (disambiguation).
Lithuanian Basketball League
Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL)
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2014–15 LKL season
Sport Basketball
Founded 1993
No. of teams 11
Country Lithuania Lithuania
Continent European Union FIBA Europe (Europe)
Most recent champion(s) Žalgiris (16th title)
Most titles Žalgiris (16 titles)
TV partner(s) LRT
LRytas TV
SportoTV.lt
Related competitions LKF Cup
Founder Šarūnas Marčiulionis
Level on pyramid 1st tier
Relegation to NKL
Official website www.lkl.lt

The Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL) (English: Lithuanian Basketball League) is Lithuania's premier professional men's basketball league, composed of 11 teams.

History

Since the league was founded, it has been dominated by Žalgiris. They won the league's championship trophy for six consecutive years, from 1994 through 1999. Their main rival during those years was Atletas, but in the 1999–2000 season, this dominant run was ended by the Lietuvos rytas.

In 2000–01 season the Greens got their revenge by beating Vilnius in the finals. In 2001–2002, Lietuvos rytas, led by Ramūnas Šiškauskas and Arvydas Macijauskas, once again defeated Žalgiris. However, during the next three seasons Žalgiris took control of the league and outplayed Lietuvos rytas (2003, 2004, 2005).

In 2006, Vilnius joined Žalgiris in the strongest European basketball competition Euroleague. That season the Reds, led by Robertas Javtokas, Simas Jasaitis and Fred House, beat Žalgiris 4–0. But from then on Žalgiris started winning once again – two titles in a row (2007, 2008). In 2008–2009 Lietuvos rytas won the league, beating Žalgiris 4–1. The winners were led by Chuck Eidson, Artūras Jomantas and Marijonas Petravičius. In 2009–10 season Vilnius claimed first back to back title, beating Žalgiris 4–3. 2010–11 saw Kaunas reclaim the tile, beating Vilnius 4–1.

2011–12 season: Žalgiris was the winner again, which sweeping Rytas by 3–0. In the 2012-2013 season, a much more powerful Žalgiris easily dominated the league and Lietuvos Rytas, winning the series 4-0.

LKL teams

Podium by season

Classic LKL logo
See also: LKL Finals
Season Champion Runner-up Bronze Fourth place
1993–94 Žalgiris Atletas Statyba Lavera
1994–95 Žalgiris Atletas Lavera and Šiauliai
1995–96 Žalgiris Atletas Olimpas and Sakalai
1996–97 Žalgiris Olimpas Šilutė and Šiauliai
1997–98 Žalgiris Atletas Lietuvos rytas Sakalai
1998–99 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Sakalai Šiauliai
1999–00 Lietuvos rytas Žalgiris Šiauliai Sakalai
2000–01 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Šiauliai Alita
2001–02 Lietuvos rytas Žalgiris Alita Šiauliai
2002–03 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Alita Šiauliai
2003–04 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Šiauliai Sakalai
2004–05 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Šiauliai Sakalai
2005–06 Lietuvos rytas Žalgiris Šiauliai Nevėžis
2006–07 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Šiauliai Neptūnas
2007–08 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Šiauliai Alytus
2008–09 Lietuvos rytas Žalgiris Šiauliai Neptūnas
2009–10 Lietuvos rytas Žalgiris Šiauliai Juventus
2010–11 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Prienai Juventus
2011–12 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Prienai Šiauliai
2012–13 Žalgiris Lietuvos rytas Neptūnas Prienai
2013–14 Žalgiris Neptūnas Lietuvos rytas Prienai

Performance by club

LKL trophy in Vilnius
Team Winners Runners-Up Bronzes Fourth places Winning years
Žalgiris 16 5 0 0 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Lietuvos rytas 5 10 2 0 2000, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010
Atletas 0 4 0 0
Neptūnas 0 1 1 2
Olimpas 0 1 1 0
Šiauliai 0 0 11 4
Sakalai 0 0 2 4
Prienai 0 0 2 2
Alita 0 0 2 1
Lavera 0 0 1 1
Statyba 0 0 1 0
Šilutė 0 0 1 0
Juventus 0 0 0 2
Nevėžis 0 0 0 1
Alytus 0 0 0 1

See also

External links