Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional

Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional

League logo
Sport	Basketball
Founded	March 11, 2000
No. of teams	16
Country	Mexico
Most recent champion(s)	Toros de Los Dos Laredos (2nd title)
Most titles	Halcones UV Xalapa (4 Titles)
Official website	www.lnbp.com.mx

The Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (National Professional Basketball league) (LNBP) is the top professional basketball league in Mexico. The league was founded in 2000 with 11 teams, and has 16 teams as of 2014. Despite its short history, in contrast with other national leagues, the LNBP has established itself as the most important basketball league in Latin America.

Famous basketball players who have played in the league include Jamario Moon,^[1] Dennis Rodman,^[2] Sun Ming Ming,^[3] Horacio Llamas^[4] and many others.

History

Foundation

On 11 March 2000 was set in the city of Durango, a company focused on support and professional basketball in Mexico. The National Professional Basketball League, an association with the aim of bringing the best of basketball across the country and produce true professional basketball.

Original teams

Algodoneros de la Laguna, at Torreón, Coahuila, Correcaminos Victoria de la UAT at Cd. Victoria, Tamaulipas, Correcaminos Reynosa de la UAT at Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Correcaminos Tampico de la UAT at Tampico, Tamaulipas, Correcaminos Matamoros de la UAT at Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Dorados Chihuahua, at Chihuahua, Indios de la UACJ at Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Garzas de Plata de la UAEH at Pachuca, Hidalgo, Ola Roja at México, D.F., Osos Saltillo at Coahuila, and Vaqueros Agua Prieta at Sonora.

League begins and Halcones dominance

The first season was held during the year 2000, in which the Tampico Correcaminos, defeated its Ciudad Victoria counterpart in the Final Series 4 games to 2. The champion teams followed as Ciudad Juarez Fighting Cocks, Correcaminos UAT, Panteras de Aguascalientes, Santos Reales de San Luis and Halcones UV Xalapa and the latter would engage in a long dominance over the following years. The next champions were Soles de Mexicali and the following three years the Halcones repeated Championships.

Recent era and Liga de las Américas Championship

After the 2010-11 Championship, the Toros de Nuevo Laredo was crowned LNBP Champion finally stopping the Halcones 3-championship-streak. They won the Final Series against the Pioneros de Quintana Roo 4 games-to 2. The next year in 2012, the Pioneros were crowned Champions of the FIBA Americas League, being the first Mexican to do so, thus accomplishing a great feat in Mexican basketball history. That year's Champions were the Halcones Rojos de Veracruz. The Nuevo Laredan team repeated the Championship in the 2012-13 season.

Current teams

Defunct teams

• Algodoneros de Torreon (Torreon Cottonmen) Torreon, Coahuila
• Potros ITSON (ITSON Colts) (Ciudad Obregón, Sonora)
• Saltillo (Saltillo, Coahuila)
• Angeles de Puebla (Puebla Angels) (Puebla, Puebla)
• Titanes Distrito Federal, (Distrito Federal Titans) Mexico City
• Ola Verde de Poza Rica (Poza Rica Green Wave) (Poza Rica, Veracruz)
• Jaguares de la Bahia (Bahia Jaguars)
• Venados de Laredo renamed Toros de Nuevo Laredo
• Bravos de Piedras Negras (Piedras Negras Braves)
• Union Zacatecas (Zacatecas Union)
• Barreteros de Zacatecas (Zacatecas Miners)
• Guerreros Del Norte (North Warriors)
• Lobos Grises UAD (UAD Gray Wolves)
• Lobos UADeC (UADeC Wolves)
• Galgos de Tijuana (Tijuana Greyhounds)
• Cimarrones de Ensenada (Ensenada Rams)
• Astros de Tecate (Tecate Astros)
• Mayas de Mérida (Mérida Mayas)
• Guerreros de Morelia (Morelia Warriors)
• Caballeros de Culiacan (Culiacan Knights) changed league, now in Circuito de Baloncesto de la Costa del Pacífico
• Estrellas INDEBASQUET (INDEBASQUET Stars)
• Pilares Distrito Federal (Distrito Federal Pillars)
• Loros UCol (UCol Parrots)
• Correcaminos UAT Tampico (UAT Tampico Roadrunners)
• Correcaminos UAT Matamoros (UAT Matamoros Roadrunners)
• Correcaminos UAT Reynosa (UAT Roadrunners)
• Dorados de Chihuahua (Chihuahua Golden)
• Garzas de Plata UAEH (UAEH Silver Herons)
• Garzas Guerreras UATX (UATX War Herons)
• Gambusinos de Fresnillo (Fresnillo Goldseekers)
• Leñadores de Durango (Durango Lumberjacks)
• Tuberos de Colima (Colima Tubemakers)
• Zorros UMNSNH (UMNSNH Foxes)
• Cometas de Queretaro (Queretaro Comets)
• Libertadores de Queretaro (Queretaro Liberators)
• Santos Reales San Luis Potosí (San Luis Potosí Royal Saints)
• Bucaneros de Campeche (Campeche Buccaneers)
• Halcones UV Cordoba (UV Cordoba Falcons)
• Indios de Juarez (Juarez Indians)

System

Regular season

The regular season is played in Round-Robin format in which the 12 best-placed teams qualify to the postseason. For every game won 2 points are added and for every game lost one point is added. For example: If team one played 10 games and won 7, losing the remaining 3, it would have 17 points; 14 points for the 7 games won and 3 points for the games lost.

Playoffs

The 4 top-seeded teams have a bye in the first playoff series while the five to twelve seeds play each other. The 5th-placed team plays the 12th-place team while the 6th plays the 11th and the 7th plays the 10th and so on. The quarter-finals see the top seed playing the worse-qualified seed and the second best team playing the second worse team and so on. The semi-finals are played like the quarterfinals while the Serie Final is played by the two teams remaining with the best-placed team having Home field advantage.

League champions

Championship appearances

Copa Independencia winners

The Copa Independencia (Independence Cup) was a pre-season tournament created by the LNBP.

References

External links

• Official League Site
• Mexican league on Latinbasket.com (English)

International men's basketball FIBA National teams Olympics World Cup Universiade U21 World Championship U19 World Championship U17 World Championship World Rankings Africa FIBA Africa – FIBA Africa Championship U-18 U-16 Americas FIBA Americas – FIBA Americas Championship U-18 U-16 Asia FIBA Asia – FIBA Asia Championship U-18 U-16 Europe FIBA Europe – FIBA EuroBasket U-20 U-18 U-16 Oceania FIBA Oceania – FIBA Oceania Championship U-18 U-16 Other tournaments Acropolis Tournament Adecco Cup Albert Schweitzer Tournament All-Africa Games Asian Games Commonwealth Games Diamond Ball FIBA Asia Cup FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament Lusophony Games Marchand Cup Mediterranean Games Stanković Cup Pan American Games Pan Arab Games TBF International Under-16 Tournament William Jones Cup World Cup (Turkey) Note: The Under-21 Championship is no longer held.