Liga Națională
Founded1950 (1950)
First season1950–51
CountryRomania
ConfederationRomanian Basketball Federation
Divisions3
Number of teams24
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Romanian Cup
International cup(s)EuroCup
Basketball Champions League
FIBA Europe Cup
Current championsU Cluj-Napoca
(8th title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsDinamo București (22 titles)
TV partnersDigi Sport
Prima Sport
Websitewww.frbaschet.ro
2023–2024

The Liga Națională Baschet de Masculin (LNBM) (English: National League) is the top-tier professional basketball league of Romania. The winner of the league each season is crowned the Romanian national champion. Founded in 1950, the league consists of 24 teams playing in three different divisions. Currently, the clubs from the Liga Națională also participate in the European competitions, and can qualify for the Basketball Champions League or the FIBA Europe Cup based on their performance in the national league and cup competition. The most successful club in the league's history is Dinamo București, who has won a record 22 titles. Asesoft Ploieşti won the championship seven times in a row between 2004 and 2010, and again between 2012 and 2014. They became the only Romanian team to win a European title with their success in the FIBA EuroCup Challenge in 2005.

Competition format

Prior to 2018, the men's Liga Națională had 12 teams who played the season in three rounds. The regular season, which began in October, was considered the first round and was played in a normal round-robin, home-and-away format. At the end of the regular season, the top six clubs played a play-off round, while the bottom six clubs played a play-out round. The six teams in the play-off round and the top two in the play-out round qualified for the play-offs, which were played using a knockout format. Since 2014, the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals have been best of five. The bottom two teams in the play-out round are relegated to Liga I.

In May 2018, the Romanian Basketball Federation's board of directors decided to entirely reform the system. Liga I was dissolved and the Liga Națională was split into three groups; A, B, and C. Group designation depeneds on performance, financial, and infrastructural criteria.[1] The regular season remains a round-robin in each group. In the second round, the first six teams from Group A are assigned to the Red Group. Teams in 7th and 8th place in Group A, the top three teams from Group B, and the winner of Group C are named the Yellow Group. Teams rank between 4th and 8th place in Group B and the second place team in Group C are assigned to the Blue Group. Those who rank between 3rd and 8th place in Group C are designated as the Green Group.[2]

In the second round of the restructured season, teams in the Red Group keep their points while the Yellow, Blue, and Green Groups all begin with zero points.[2] In the third round of the championship, the first two teams from the Yellow Group join the Red Group teams for the play-offs, which use a knockout format. The quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals continue to be best of five. To determine the teams ranked between 5th and 8th place, the best of three system is used. Remaining teams form two eight-team groups to determine their final rankings.[2]

Notable Liga Națională players

At least five former Romanian players have been inducted into the European Basketball Hall of Fame.

Titles

ClubTitlesWinning years
Dinamo București221953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1988, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2003
Steaua București211956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991
CSU Ploiești112004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
U-BT Cluj-Napoca81992, 1993, 1996, 2011, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023
CSM Oradea32016, 2018, 2019
West Petrom Arad22001, 2002
CSU Sibiu21995, 1999
BCM U Pitești12000
Metalul București11952
Rapid București11951

Latest finals

SeasonChampionRunner-upScore
2000–01West Petrom AradAsesoft Ploiești3–0
2001–02West Petrom AradDinamo București3–2
2002–03Dinamo BucureștiWest Petrom Arad3–2
2003–04Asesoft PloieștiDinamo București3–1
2004–05Asesoft PloieștiDinamo București3–1
2005–06Asesoft PloieștiU Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca4–1
2006–07Asesoft PloieștiArgeș Piteşti4–1
2007–08Asesoft PloieștiU Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca4–3
2008–09Asesoft PloieștiBC Timișoara4–0
2009–10Asesoft PloieștiU Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca4–0
2010–11U Mobitelco Cluj-NapocaAsesoft Ploiești4–2
2011–12Asesoft PloieștiTimișoara4–0
2012–13Asesoft PloieștiBC Mureș4–2
2013–14Asesoft PloieștiCSM Oradea3–2
2014–15Asesoft PloieștiBC Mureș3–0
2015–16CSM OradeaBC Mureș3–2
2016–17U-BT Cluj-NapocaSteaua CSM Eximbank3–0
2017–18CSM OradeaSteaua CSM Eximbank3–1
2018–19CSM OradeaCSU Sibiu3–1
2019–20Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21U-BT Cluj-NapocaCSM Oradea
3–2
2021–22U-BT Cluj-NapocaCSO Voluntari
3–1
2022–23U-BT Cluj-NapocaCSM Oradea
4–2

See also

References

  1. ↑ Decizii ale Consiliului Director din 23.05.2018. frbaschet.ro (in Romanian)
  2. 1 2 3 "Cum va arăta Liga Națională de Baschet Masculin sezonul viitor". totalbaschet.ro. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
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