Lebanese Basketball League
Current season, competition or edition: 2016–17 Lebanese Basketball League season
|
|
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| 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 |
 Lebanon
|
| 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.
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.
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.
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