FIBA Americas League
Founded2007 (2007)
First season2007–08
Folded2019 (2019)
Replaced byBasketball Champions
League Americas
(BCLA)
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Most championshipsVenezuela Guaros de Lara
Argentina Peñarol
Argentina San Lorenzo (2 titles)
CEOUsie Richards
TV partnersDirecTV
WebsiteFIBA.basketball/ligamericas
2019 FIBA Americas League

The FIBA Americas League (Portuguese: FIBA Liga das Américas, Spanish: FIBA Liga de las Américas), officially abbreviated as the LDA, was the premier intercontinental basketball club competition played annually by clubs of the entire Americas. Organized by FIBA Americas, the competition was replaced by the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA) in September 2019.[1] The inaugural season started on 4 December 2007.[2] The FIBA Americas League was a recreation of the now defunct Pan American Club Championship, that existed from 1993 to 2000.[3]

The winner of the Final Four, the culminating tournament of each season's FIBA Americas League, is crowned as the champion of all of the FIBA Americas zone region. The tournament's final is called the Grand Final. It is the first-tier and most important professional international club basketball competition in the regions of South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

From 2013 to 2015, the winner of each season's FIBA Americas tournament, played against the winner of each season's European top-tier level EuroLeague competition, at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, in order to determine an official club world cup champion. Since 2016, the champions of the FIBA Americas League contest the FIBA Intercontinental Cup against the champions of one of the two European second-tier level competitions, the European Champions League.

History

In 1993, the Campeonato Panamericano de Clubes de Básquetbol (Pan American Basketball Club Championship) was created as a Pan American tournament, running from 1993 until 2000. In December 2007, the FIBA Americas League was introduced in the second attempt of a panamerican basketball club competition.

The FIBA Americas League was formed in 2007, as a professional intercontinental men's basketball club competition, under the organization of FIBA Americas, with the goal of creating a world-class top level multinational basketball league in the Americas Region including teams from North America this time (apart from the NBA). The league was modeled after the EuroLeague, Europe's top-tier level multinational club basketball league. The main reason for creating the league was the promotion and growth of the sport, and the increased level of competition that would come from the creation of a multinational super league in the FIBA Americas region. The only North American teams participating in the competition (2007-2019) were the former USBL champions Miami Tropics and an All-Star selection team from the Premier Basketball League.

Another one of the main goals in the creation of the league was to eventually revive the dormant FIBA Intercontinental Cup, so that clubs from the FIBA Americas region could once again directly compete against top EuroLeague teams in official games, and so that an official world cup championship could once again be contested. FIBA World decided to revive the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2013, deciding that the champions of the FIBA Americas League would play against the champions of the EuroLeague, to decide on the world club champion. It was then decided by FIBA World that the tournament would be played every year from then on for the foreseeable future. Pinheiros was the first team to represent Americas in the Intercontinental Cup. Since 2016, the FIBA Americas League champions play against the champions of one of the two European second-tier level competitions, the FIBA Champions League.

Another goal in creating the league was to form a league system of teams that could form a partnership with the EuroLeague and NBA on playing friendly games during the preseason, in the same way that the EuroLeague and NBA teams were already playing against each other during the preseason. This was finally realized in the 2014–15 preseason, when teams from the FIBA Americas League played against teams from both the EuroLeague and the NBA.

Names of the top-tier level Pan American competition

Format

Under the original format, 16 participating clubs were divided in four groups, of four teams each. The top two clubs of each group qualified for the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals winners then played a four-team group stage, in a yet to be determined host city.[4]

Under the current format, the 16 participating clubs are divided in four groups, of four teams each. The top two clubs of each group qualify for the semifinals. The semifinals winners qualify to play at the FIBA Americas League Final 4, in a yet to be determined host city. The final four format was held for the first time in 2014. The last game of the tournament is called the Grand Final.

Final Fours and Grand Finals (2007–2019)

Edition Year Hosts Champions Score and Venue Runners-up Third place Fourth place
1 2007–08
Details
Mexico
Mexicali
Argentina
Peñarol
League stage
Auditorio del Estado, Mexicali
Mexico
Soles de Mexicali
United States
Miami Tropics
Brazil
Minas
2 2008–09
Details
Mexico
Xalapa
Brazil
Brasília
League stage
Gimnasio USBI, Xalapa
Mexico
Halcones UV Xalapa
Uruguay
Biguá
Brazil
Minas
3 2009–10
Details
Argentina
Mar del Plata
Argentina
Peñarol
League stage
Polideportivo Islas Malvinas, Mar del Plata
Venezuela
Espartanos de Margarita
Mexico
Halcones UV Xalapa
Argentina
Quimsa
4 2010–11
Details
Mexico
Xalapa
Argentina
Regatas Corrientes
League stage
Gimnasio USBI, Xalapa
Puerto Rico
Capitanes de Arecibo
Mexico
Halcones UV Xalapa
Mexico
Halcones Rojos
5 2012
Details
Argentina
Formosa
Mexico
Pioneros de Quintana Roo
League stage
Estadio Cincuentenario, Formosa
Argentina
La Unión
Argentina
Obras Sanitarias
Brazil
Brasília
6 2013
Details
Puerto Rico
Arecibo
Brazil
Pinheiros
League stage
Coliseo Manuel "Petaca" Iguina, Areciba
Argentina
Lanús
Puerto Rico
Capitanes de Arecibo
Brazil
Brasília
7 2014
Details
Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Flamengo
85–78
Maracanãzinho, Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Pinheiros
Uruguay
Aguada
Mexico
Halcones UV Xalapa
8 2015
Details
Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Bauru
86–72
Maracanãzinho, Rio de Janeiro
Mexico
Pioneros de Quintana Roo
Brazil
Flamengo
Argentina
Peñarol
9 2016
Details
Venezuela
Barquisimeto
Venezuela
Guaros de Lara
84–79
Domo Bolivariano, Barquisimeto
Brazil
Bauru
Brazil
Mogi das Cruzes
Brazil
Flamengo
10 2017
Details
Venezuela
Barquisimeto
Venezuela
Guaros de Lara
88–65
Domo Bolivariano, Barquisimeto
Argentina
Weber Bahía Blanca
Puerto Rico
Leones de Ponce
Mexico
Fuerza Regia
11 2018
Details
Argentina
Buenos Aires
Argentina
San Lorenzo
79–71
Polideportivo Roberto Pando, Buenos Aires
Brazil
Mogi das Cruzes
Argentina
Regatas Corrientes
Argentina
Estudiantes Concordia
12 2019
Details
Argentina
Buenos Aires
Argentina
San Lorenzo
64–61
Polideportivo Roberto Pando, Buenos Aires
Venezuela
Guaros de Lara
Brazil
Paulistano
Mexico
Capitanes de Ciudad de México

Performances

By club

Team Winners Runners-Up Third Place Fourth Place
Venezuela Guaros de Lara2 (2016, 2017)1 (2019)00
Argentina Peñarol2 (2007–08, 2009–10)001 (2015)
Argentina San Lorenzo de Almagro2 (2018, 2019)000
Brazil Bauru1 (2015)1 (2016)00
Brazil Pinheiros1 (2013)1 (2014)00
Mexico Pioneros de Quintana Roo1 (2012)1 (2015)00
Brazil Flamengo1 (2014)01 (2015)1 (2016)
Argentina Regatas Corrientes1 (2010–11)01 (2018)0
Brazil Brasília1 (2008–09)002 (2012, 2013)
Mexico Halcones UV Xalapa01 (2008–09)2 (2009–10, 2010–11)1 (2014)
Puerto Rico Capitanes de Arecibo01 (2010–11)1 (2013)0
Brazil Mogi das Cruzes01 (2018)1 (2016)0
Mexico Soles de Mexicali01 (2007–08)00
Venezuela Espartanos de Margarita01 (2009–10)00
Argentina La Unión de Formosa01 (2012)00
Argentina Lanús01 (2013)00
Argentina Weber Bahía Blanca01 (2017)00
United States Miami Tropics001 (2007–08)0
Uruguay Biguá001 (2008–09)0
Argentina Obras Sanitarias001 (2012)0
Uruguay Aguada001 (2014)0
Puerto Rico Leones de Ponce001 (2017)0
Brazil Paulistano001 (2019)0
Brazil Minas0002 (2007–08, 2008–09)
Argentina Quimsa0001 (2009–10)
Mexico Halcones Rojos0001 (2010–11)
Mexico Fuerza Regia0001 (2017)
Argentina Estudiantes Concordia0001 (2018)
Mexico Capitanes de Ciudad de México0001 (2019)

By country

Nation Winners Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
Argentina Argentina5323
Brazil Brazil4335
Venezuela Venezuela2200
Mexico Mexico1324
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico0120
Uruguay Uruguay0020
United States United States0010

FIBA Americas League awards

See also

References

  1. "Basketball Champions League Americas is launched". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  2. "FIBA Americas League - Clubs gear up for tip off". FIBA. Archived from the original on January 9, 2008. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  3. Equipo de baloncesto salvadoreño jugará Liga de las Américas (in Spanish).
  4. "Três clubes brasucas na Liga das Américas" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
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