Pro Basketball League

For the current top level Belgian league, see BNXT League.

The Pro Basketball League (PBL),^[1] was the highest tier level professional basketball league in Belgium for clubs. In 2021, the league was succeeded by the Belgian-Dutch BNXT League.^[2]

Pro Basketball League

Formerly	See sponsorship names
Founded	1928
Folded	2021
Replaced by	BNXT League
Country	Belgium
Federation	BLB
Confederation	FIBA Europe
Number of teams	10
Level on pyramid	1
Domestic cup(s)	Belgian Cup
Supercup	Belgian Supercup
International cup(s)	Champions League Europe Cup
Last champions	Filou Oostende (23rd title) (2021–22)
Most championships	Filou Oostende (23 titles)
All-time top scorer	Willy Steveniers (11,870)
President	Maarten Bostyn
Website	euromillionsbasketball.be

The league is organized by the Basketball League Belgium. The current president of the league is Maarten Bostyn.^[3]

The most successful team in the league is Oostende, which holds the record for the most league titles won, with 22, and the now defunct team of Racing Mechelen is second, with 15.

History

On 15 March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the season was prematurely cancelled. Based on the standings in the regular season, Filou Oostende was crowned national champions.^[4]

Sponsorship names

• Until 2014: Ethias League
• 2014–2016: Scooore! League
• 2016–2021 EuroMillions Basketball League^[5]

• 
  Ethias League logo
• 
  Scooore! League logo (2014–2016)

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:^[6][7]

• A-license: for teams who have more than a € 1 million budget. A-licensed team can qualify for European competitions.
• B-license: teams with at least a €750,000 budget. B-licensed teams can't qualify for European play.
• C-licence: given to teams that are on the rise, with a budget of at least €400,000. C-licenses do not allow teams to qualify for European play and have to get replaced by B-licenses after two years.

Current clubs

Spirou

Liège

Leuven

Oostende

Giants

Okapi

Mechelen

Mons

Limburg

Brussels

Location of the 2020–21 Pro Basketball League teams

Club	City	Arena	Capacity
Antwerp Giants	Antwerp	Lotto Arena	5,218
Belfius Mons-Hainaut	Mons	Mons Arena	4,000
Filou Oostende	Ostend	Sleuyter Arena	5,000
Kangoeroes Mechelen	Mechelen	De Winketaai	1,000
Leuven Bears	Leuven	Sportoase	3,400
Limburg United	Hasselt	Alverberg-sporthal	1,730
Okapi Aalst	Aalst	Okapi Forum	2,800
Phoenix Brussels	Brussels	Complexe sportif de Neder-Over-Hembeek	1,200
Spirou	Charleroi	Spiroudome	6,200
VOO Liège	Liège	Country Hall Ethias Liège	5,000

Finals

Since 2005, play-offs are played to decide which team is crowned the champion of each season. The finals series are played in a best-of-five format, with the team which had the higher seed in the regular season having home court advantage.

Season	Champions	Score	Runners-up
2004–05	Bree	3–1	Spirou
2005–06	Oostende	3–1	Mons-Hainaut
2006–07	Oostende	3–2	Bree
2007–08	Spirou	3–0	Bree
2008–09	Spirou	3–0	Mons-Hainaut
2009–10	Spirou	3–1	Liège Basket
2010–11	Spirou	3–0	Okapi Aalstar
2011–12	Oostende	3–2	Spirou
2012–13	Oostende	3–0	Mons-Hainaut
2013–14	Oostende	3–2	Okapi Aalstar
2014–15	Oostende	3–1	Mons-Hainaut
2015–16	Oostende	3–1	Okapi Aalstar
2016–17	Oostende	3–1	Brussels
2017–18	Oostende	3–0	Antwerp Giants
2018–19	Oostende	3–1	Antwerp Giants
2019–20	Oostende	Cancelled	Mons-Hainaut
2020–21	Oostende	3–1	Mons-Hainaut
2021–22	Oostende	3–1	Kangoeroes Mechelen

Performances by club (2005–present)

Team	Champions	Runners-up	Years champions	Years runners-up
Oostende	11	–	2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022	–
Spirou	4	2	2008, 2009, 2010, 2011	2005, 2012
Bree	1	2	2005	2007, 2008
Mons-Hainaut	–	6	–	2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2021
Okapi Aalstar	–	3	–	2011, 2014, 2016
Antwerp Giants	–	2	–	2018, 2019
Liège	–	1	–	2010
Brussels	–	1	–	2017
Kangoeroes Mechelen	–	1	–	2022

Title holders

• 1927–28 Brussels A.C.
• 1928–29 Daring B.C.
• 1929–30 Brussels A.C.
• 1930–31 Brussels A.C.
• 1931–32 Daring B.C.
• 1932–33 Brussels A.C.
• 1933–34 Daring B.C.
• 1934–35 Amicale Sportive
• 1935–36 Amicale Sportive
• 1936–37 Fresh Air
• 1937–38 Fresh Air
• 1938–39 Royal IV
• 1939–41 Not held due to WWII
• 1941–42 Royal IV
• 1942–45 Not held due to WWII
• 1945–46 Semailles
• 1946–47 Semailles
• 1947–48 Semailles
• 1948–49 Semailles
• 1949–50 Semailles
• 1950–51 Semailles
• 1951–52 Royal IV
• 1953–53 Royal IV
• 1953–54 Royal IV
• 1954–55 Hellas Gent
• 1955–56 Antwerpse
• 1956–57 Royal IV
• 1957–58 Royal IV
• 1958–59 Antwerpse
• 1959–60 Antwerpse
• 1960–61 Antwerpse
• 1961–62 Antwerpse
• 1962–63 Antwerpse
• 1963–64 Antwerpse
• 1964–65 Racing Mechelen
• 1965–66 Racing Mechelen
• 1966–67 Racing Mechelen
• 1967–68 Standard Liège
• 1968–69 Racing Bell Mechelen
• 1969–70 Standard Liège
• 1970–71 Bus Fruit Lier
• 1971–72 Bus Fruit Lier
• 1972–73 Racing Antwerpen
• 1973–74 Maes Pils
• 1974–75 Maes Pils
• 1975–76 Maes Pils
• 1976–77 Standard Liège
• 1977–78 Fresh Air
• 1978–79 Fresh Air
• 1979–80 Maes Pils
• 1980–81 Sunair Oostende
• 1981–82 Sunair Oostende
• 1982–83 Sunair Oostende
• 1983–84 Sunair Oostende
• 1984–85 Sunair Oostende
• 1985–86 Sunair Oostende
• 1986–87 Maes Pils
• 1987–88 Sunair Oostende
• 1988–89 Maes Pils
• 1989–90 Maes Pils
• 1990–91 Maes Pils
• 1991–92 Maes Pils
• 1992–93 Maes Pils
• 1993–94 Maes Pils
• 1994–95 Sunair Oostende
• 1995–96 Spirou
• 1996–97 Spirou
• 1997–98 Spirou
• 1998–99 Spirou
• 1999–00 Telindus Racing Antwerpen
• 2000–01 Telindus Oostende
• 2001–02 Telindus Oostende
• 2002–03 Spirou
• 2003–04 Spirou
• 2004–05 Euphony Bree
• 2005–06 Telindus Oostende
• 2006–07 Telindus Oostende
• 2007–08 Spirou
• 2008–09 Spirou
• 2009–10 Spirou
• 2010–11 Spirou
• 2011–12 Telenet Oostende
• 2012–13 Telenet Oostende
• 2013–14 Telenet Oostende
• 2014–15 Telenet Oostende
• 2015–16 Telenet Oostende
• 2016–17 Telenet Oostende
• 2017–18 Telenet Oostende
• 2018–19 Filou Oostende
• 2019–20 Filou Oostende
• 2020–21 Filou Oostende
• 2021–22 Filou Oostende

Performance by club

Key

+	Denotes a team that has been dissolved.

Titles	Team	Seasons
23	Oostende	1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
15	Racing Mechelen+	1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
10	Spirou	1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
8	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	Lier+	1971, 1972
2	Amicale Sportive+	1935, 1936
1	Bree+	2005
1	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.

• Belgian Basketball Player of the year
• Coach of the Year
• MVP
• Star of the Coaches
• Young Player of the Year
• Lifetime Achievement Award