Luxembourg Basketball League
Luxembourg Basketball League
SportBasketball
Founded1933
No. of teams12
CountryLuxembourg
ContinentEurope
Most recentchampionEtzella (16th title) (2024–25)
Most titlesNitia andEtzella (16 titles)
SponsorTotal
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toNationale 2
Domestic cupLuxembourg Cup
Official websiteluxembourg.basketball

The Nationale 1 Hommes, officially named the Luxembourg Basketball League (LBBL), is the highest men's basketball league in Luxembourg. The league's governing body is Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Basketball (FLBB).[1] The league was previously known by sponsorships names Diekirch League and Total League.[2]

About

As the Luxembourg Basketball League is semi-professional, all clubs are run as not-for-profit.[3] Each team in the league is allowed to have two American players on the roster. While most local players do not receive a salary, American players are paid.[4][5]

There are two player statuses: JICL (French acronym for "player registered with a Luxembourgish club") and non-JICL. To be classified as JICL, a player has to have obtained a license from a FLBB club before their 16th birthday, or have one for at least three seasons between their 16th and 21st birthday. Prior to the 2013–14 season, each team was only allowed two non-JICL players, no exceptions. In July 2013, the European Commission adjudged the ruling was contrary to the Schengen Agreement.[6] Following that decision, the rule was scrapped and replaced by a gentlemen's agreement to keep the number at two, though some have signed a third non-JICL player, arguing they were part-time players.[5]

Format

During the regular season, each team plays the other nine teams twice, one at home and one away (10 teams, 18 games, 18 rounds). After this, the top six teams move on to the second stage, where they play a further 10 games against each other. The top four teams at the conclusion of the second stage move on to the playoffs. In the semi-finals, the No. 1 seed plays the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed plays the No. 3 seed. The winner of each best-of-three semi-final moves on to the Finals series to decide the title (also best-of-three).[7]

Meanwhile, the bottom four teams after the regular season join the best four teams from the second-tier Nationale 2 to play for relegation and promotion respectively. The two worst ranked Nationale 1 teams are relegated whilst the two best Nationale 2 teams are promoted.

Current clubs

Current clubs
Club[a]City Arena Founded Last title
AB ConternConternHall sportif "Um Ewent" 1956 2009
Amicale SteeselSteinselHall omnisports "Alain Marchetti" 1947 2024
Arantia LarochetteLarochetteHall sportif Centre Filano 1964 Never
Avanti MondorfMondorfCentre sportif "Roll Delles" 2000 Never
Basket EschEsch-sur-AlzetteHall omnisport Esch-sur-Alzette 1959 2023
Etzella EttelbruckEttelbruckCentre sportif du Deich 1934 2006
Mambra MamerMamerHall Sportif Nicolas Frantz 2000 Never
Musel PikesStadtbredimusSporthal Stadbriedemes 2000 Never
Résidence WalferdangeWalferdangeCentre Prince Henri 1965 1997
Sparta BertrangeBertrangeCentre Atert 1935 2012
T71 DudelangeDudelangeSalle Fos Grimler 1971 2021
Union Sportive HiefenechHeffingenCentre sportif Heffingen 1959 1996
Former clubs
Club City Arena Founded Last season Last title
Black Star MerschMerschHall omnisports Mersch 1934 2015 1968
Nitia BettembourgBettembourgCentre sportif Bettembourg 1932 2012 1953
AS SoleuvreSoleuvreCentre sportif "Roger Krier" 1937 2017 2002
B.C. MessMondercangeComplexe sportif Mondercange 1967 2007 Never

Title holders

Source:[8]

Finals 2003-2024

SeasonWinnerRunner-upScore
2003–04ConternSparta Bertrange2–0
2004–05Sparta BertrangeEtzella2–1
2005–06EtzellaSparta Bertrange2–0
2006–07Sparta BertrangeT71 Dudelange2–0
2007–08Sparta BertrangeMusel Pikes2–0
2008–09ConternMusel Pikes2–1
2009–10T71 DudelangeSparta Bertrange2–1
2010–11T71 DudelangeEtzella2–1
2011–12Sparta BertrangeT71 Dudelange2–0
2012–13T71 DudelangeAmicale2–0
2013–14T71 DudelangeAmicale2–1
2014–15T71 DudelangeAmicale2–1
2015–16AmicaleMusel Pikes2–0
2016–17AmicaleMusel Pikes2–1
2017–18AmicaleEtzella3–0
2018–19EtzellaT71 Dudelange3–1
2019–20None held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21T71 DudelangeEsch2–0
2021–22Amicale SteeselT71 Dudelange3–2
2022–23EschAmicale
3–1
2023–24AmicaleEtzella3–1
2024–25EtzellaT71 Dudelange3–0

Performance by club

Club TitlesYears
Nitia161933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54
Etzella161954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1991–92, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2018–19, 2024–25
T71 Dudelange131974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2020–21
Sparta Bertrange111957–58, 1959–60, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12
Amicale101970–71, 1972–73, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1980–81, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2021–22, 2023–24
Contern41987–88, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2008–09
Hiefenech41988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1995–96
Résidence41992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97
Racing Luxembourg31966–67, 1997–98, 1999–00
Black Star Mersch21965–66, 1967–68
Black Boys Kayl11951–52
Rou'de Le'w Kayl11958–59
Soleuvre12001–02
Esch
1
2022–23

European competition

Luxembourgian clubs have not participated in European competition since 2002, the last year FIBA organised the FIBA Saporta Cup, with the FLBB bemoaning the separation between FIBA Europe and ULEB and the move away from a single-elimination format.[1] Some of the requirements for participation in the FIBA-organised European third-tier EuroChallenge that restrict their participation are: a €5,000 registration fee notwithstanding other costs, an arena that seats at least 2000 without non-basketball lines, and games played on weekdays.[9]

Highlights

Competition Team Opponent(s) Round(s) Home  Away  Aggregate
Champions Cup 1958LuxembourgEtzellaBelgiumRoyal IVGroup stage 43 – 82[b]36 – 63 79 – 145
Cup Winners' Cup 1974LuxembourgSparta BertrangeScotlandPaisley BCRomaniaSteaua BucureștiSecond round[c] Round of 16 105 – 93 77 – 108 64 – 51 77 – 117 169–144 154–225
Champions Cup 1978LuxembourgT71 DudelangeGermanyBayer 04 LeverkusenSpainReal MadridPortugalGC FigueirenseGroup stage 78 – 85 63 – 94 96 – 8771 – 97 60 – 118 65 – 69 3rd/4 teams
Champions Cup 1979LuxembourgAmicalePortugalSportingItalyEmerson VareseGroup stage 87 – 82 68 – 108 99 – 94 71 – 123 2nd/3 teams
Champions Cup 1991LuxembourgTelekurs HiefenechEast GermanyBSG AdW BerlinSpainFC BarcelonaFirst round Round of 16 98 – 84 73 – 113 92 – 96 77 – 117 190–180 150–230
Korać Cup 1994LuxembourgTelekurs HiefenechWalesCardiff Bay HeatGermanyEnBW LudwigsburgFirst round Second round 78 – 72 80 – 86 89 – 79 69 – 105 167–151 149–191

Notes

  1. ^Official names in French as per linguistic rules.
  2. ^First European Champions Cup game ever played.
  3. ^First round bye.

References

  1. ^ abPrésentation de la FLBB(in French)
  2. ^Luxembourg league gets new sponsor
  3. ^STATUTS ET REGLEMENTS(in French)
  4. ^Braintree's Ryan Sharry lighting it up on the court in Luxembourg
  5. ^ ab19 von 20 Profis kommen aus den USA(in German)
  6. ^EU-Kommission beanstandet JICL-Regelung(in German)
  7. ^Luxembourg Basketball 2015–16
  8. ^List of Champions of Luxembourg; Luxembourg Basketball Federation.
  9. ^T71 will not play in a European competition
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