Basketball League Belgium Division I

Scooore League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2015–16 Belgian Basketball League
Formerly Ethias League
Sport Basketball
Founded 1928
No. of teams 11
Country Belgium Belgium
Continent FIBA Europe (Europe)
Most recent champion(s) Oostende
(16th title)
Most titles Oostende
(16 titles)
Related competitions Belgian Cup
Belgian Supercup
Level on pyramid 1st tier
Relegation to Basketball League Belgium Division II - 2nd tier
Domestic cup(s) Belgian Cup
Official website scoooreleague.be

The Basketball League Belgium (BLB) Division I, for sponsorship reasons, known as the Scooore League, is the highest tier professional basketball league in Belgium. Through 2014, for sponsorship reasons, the league was previously known as the Ethias League.

The most successful team currently active in the league is BC Oostende, which holds the record for most titles (15), along with the defunct team R.C. Mechelen.

Sponsorship names

Ethias League logo

Format and rules

The BLB is played by the international FIBA rules. Since 2014–15 the BLB season has a new format. In the regular season, all teams play each other first home and away. After that first round the league is divided in two groups based on standings; in the first group teams ranked 1–6 play and in the second 7–11. After the split each team plays all others in its group once home and once away. After that the Playoffs are played by eight teams. The quarterfinals consist of best-of-three series and the semi- and finals are played in a best-of-five format.

Licensing

Teams that play in the BLB all have to get a license to play in the league. There are three types of licenses:[1][2]

Teams

Club City Arena Capacity
Basic-Fit Brussels Brussels Piscine de Neder-Over-Hembeek 1,200
Limburg United Hasselt Alverberg-sporthal
1,730
Belfius Mons-Hainaut Mons Mons Arena 4,000
Belgacom Spirou Charleroi Spiroudome 6,200
Kangoeroes Basket Willebroek Willebroek Sporthal de Schalk 1,000
Liège Basket Liège Country Hall Ethias 5,000
Okapi Aalstar Aalst Okapi Forum 2,800
Port of Antwerp Giants Antwerp Lotto Arena 5,218
Stella Artois Leuven Bears Leuven Sportoase 3,400
Telenet BC Oostende Ostend Sleuyter Arena 5,000
VOO Wolves Verviers-Pepinster Verviers Halle du Paire 4,000

Finals

Note: Sponsorship names are not included.
Season Champions Score Runners-up
2004–05
 Bree
3–1
 Spirou Charleroi
2005–06
 Oostende
3–1
 Mons-Hainaut
2006–07
 Oostende
3–2
 Bree
2007–08
 Spirou Charleroi
3–0
 Bree
2008–09
 Spirou Charleroi
3–0
 Mons-Hainaut
2009–10
 Spirou Charleroi
3–1
 Liège Basket
2010–11
 Spirou Charleroi
3–0
 Okapi Aalstar
2011–12
 Oostende
3–2
 Spirou Charleroi
2012–13
 Oostende
3–0
 Mons-Hainaut
2013–14
 Oostende
3–2
 Okapi Aalstar
2014–15
 Oostende
3–1
 Mons-Hainaut

Appearances by team

Note: Only included starting from the 2004–05 season.
Team Total W L
Oostende 6 6 0
Spirou Charleroi 5 4 2
Mons-Hainaut 4 0 4
Bree 3 1 2
Okapi Aalstar 2 0 2
Liège Basket 1 0 1

League champions

  • 1928 Brussels A.C.
  • 1929 Daring B.C.
  • 1930 Brussels A.C.
  • 1931 Brussels A.C.
  • 1932 Daring B.C.
  • 1933 Brussels A.C.
  • 1934 Daring B.C.
  • 1935 Amicale Sportive
  • 1936 Amicale Sportive
  • 1937 Fresh Air
  • 1938 Fresh Air
  • 1939 Royal IV B.C.
  • 1940-41 Not contested
  • 1942 Royal IV B.C.
  • 1943-45 Not contested
  • 1946 Semailles B.C.
  • 1947 Semailles B.C.
  • 1948 Semailles B.C.
  • 1949 Semailles B.C.
  • 1950 Semailles B.C.
  • 1951 Semailles B.C.
  • 1952 Royal IV B.C.

Performance by club

 Key
+
Denotes a team that has been dissolved.
Titles Team Seasons
16
Oostende 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
15
R.C. Mechelen+ 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
10
Spirou Charleroi 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
8
Racing Ford Antwerpse+ 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1973
7
Royal IV+ 1939, 1942, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958
6
Semailles+ 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951
4
Fresh Air+ 1937, 1938, 1978, 1979
4
Brussels A.C.+ 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933
3
Daring B.C.+ 1929, 1932, 1934
3
Standard Liège+ 1968, 1970, 1977
2
Bus Fruit Lier+ 1971, 1972
2
Amicale Sportive+ 1935, 1936
1
Bree B.B.C.+ 2005
1
Port of Antwerp Giants 2000
1
Hellas Gent+ 1955

Individual awards

Not all awards are official ones handed out by the league itself, but all are regarded and respected as BLB awards. As example the Belgian Player of the Year award is handed out by the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, but the league itself reports the winner on its website.

References

  1. ↑ "A, B en C-licentie in 2009-2010 in Ethias League". Nieuwsblad.be. March 12, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Licentiereglement vzw BLB ter deelname aan competitie – Types van licentie" (PDF). BLB.

External links

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