Liga Sudamericana de Baloncesto

The Liga Sudamericana de Baloncesto (LSB), or FIBA Liga Sudamericana de Baloncesto (Portuguese: Liga Sul-Americana de Basquete, English: South American Basketball League), also commonly known as FIBA South American League, is the second-tier level South American professional basketball competition at the club level, with the first-tier level now considered the panamerican competition of the Champions League. The competition is organized by the South American Basketball Association (ABASU), which operates as a regional sub-zone of FIBA Americas. The winner of each year's competition gets a place at the upcoming edition of the Basketball Champions League Americas.

Liga Sudamericana de Baloncesto
South American Basketball League
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996)
First season1996
CountryABASU members
ConfederationFIBA Americas
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid2 (1996–2000, 2008–Present)
1 (2000–2007)
Promotion toBCL Americas
Current championsUruguay Nacional
(1st title)
Most championshipsArgentina Atenas
Brazil Brasília
(3 titles each)
TV partnersDirecTV
Websitewww.fiba.basketball/ligasudamericana/2023
2024 Liga Sudamericana de Básquetbol

The league usually includes some national domestic champions, and some runners-up, from the best national leagues and basketball countries on the South American continent. Depending on the country, places may be awarded on the basis of performance in the previous season's national domestic league, or over the previous two or three national domestic seasons. The tournament has been played since 1996, aside from 2003, 2020 and 2021.

History

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Basketball's 2nd all-time top scorer, Oscar Schmidt, played in the FIBA South American League Grand Finals twice, in 1996 and 1997.

The South American Championship of Champions Clubs, which was founded in 1946, was the first international club tournament played between basketball clubs from South America, and it was the first-tier and most important club competition in South America. In 1993, the Pan American Club Championship was launched including also Central American teams and was held annually until 2000.
The FIBA South American League was founded in 1996 and became the top South American competition, with the historical South American Basketball Championship becoming now the second tier. The champions of the FIBA South American League would automatically earn a spot to the biennial World club competition of the McDonald's Championship which was supported by FIBA. Atenas in 1997 and Vasco da Gama in 1999 were the only two teams that represented South America in the competition which also included NBA champions. Atenas also represented South America as champions in the 1996 FIBA Intercontinental Cup.

With the emergence of the new panamerican competition called the FIBA Americas League, in December 2007, the FIBA South American League became the second-tier international club championship in South America, beginning with the 2008 edition of the competition. The winner was also allocated a spot in the following year's FIBA Americas League.

On 24 September 2019, FIBA launched the competition, which derives its name and branding from the European Basketball Champions League. The competition replaced the FIBA Americas League as premier league in the Americas. The competition will consist of twelve teams, which have to qualify through their domestic leagues. The inaugural season is expected to start in October 2019.

The 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] In 2022, the league returned.

FIBA South American League levels on the South American pyramid

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  • 1st-tier: (2001 – 2007)
  • 2nd-tier: (1996 – 2000, 2008 – Present)

Names of the top-tier level South American / Latin American competition

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Title holders

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Grand Finals

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Year Grand Final Semifinalists
Champion Score Second place
1996
Details
 
Olimpia BBC
2–0 series  
Corinthians
 
Dharma Yara Franca
 
Rio Claro Basquete
1997
Details
 
Atenas
2–1 series  
Corinthians
 
Olimpia BBC
 
Marathon Franca
1998
Details
 
Atenas
2–0 series  
Marathon Franca
 
Boca Juniors
 
Independent de General Pico
1999
Details
 
Vasco da Gama
2–0 Series  
Boca Juniors
 
Independent de General Pico
 
Welcome
2000
Details
 
Vasco da Gama
3–2 series  
Atenas
 
Marathon Franca
 
Welcome
2001
Details
 
Estudiantes de Olavarría
3–1 series  
GECR
 
Atenas
 
Flamengo
2002
Details
 
Libertad de Sunchales
3–1 series  
Vasco da Gama
 
Cocodrilos de Caracas
 
Estudiantes de Olavarría
2004
Details
 
Atenas
3–2 series  
Unitri Uberlândia
 
Boca Juniors
 
Libertad
2005
Details
 
Unitri Uberlândia
3–1 series  
Universo Ajax
 
Boca Juniors
 
Cocodrilos de Caracas
2006
Details
 
Ben Hur
3–1 series  
COC Ribeirão Preto
 
Unitri Uberlândia
 
Libertad
2007
Details
 
Libertad de Sunchales
3–2 series  
Unimed Franca
 
Ben Hur
 
GECR
2008
Details
 
Regatas Corrientes
3–2 series  
Flamengo
 
Boca Juniors
 
Lobos Brasília
2009 (I)
Details
 
Flamengo
Final group  
Quimsa
 
Norte
 
Regatas Corrientes
2009 (II)
Details
 
Quimsa
Final group  
Libertad de Sunchales
 
Juventud Sionista
 
Minas Tênis Clube
2010
Details
 
Lobos Brasília
98-86  
Flamengo
 
Boca Juniors
 
Quimsa
2011
Details
 
Obras Sanitarias
88-73  
Pinheiros Sky
 
Lobos Brasília
 
Atenas
2012
Details
 
Regatas Corrientes
Final group  
Lobos Brasília
 
Flamengo
 
Peñarol de Mar del Plata
2013
Details
 
Lobos Brasília
93–81  
Aguada
 
Paschoalotto Bauru
 
Boca Juniors
2014
Details
 
Paschoalotto Bauru
79–53  
Mogi das Cruzes
 
Boca Juniors
 
Malvín
2015
Details
 
Brasília
2–0 series  
San Martín de Corrientes
Semifinal groups
2016
Details
 
Mogi das Cruzes
3–0 series  
Bahía Basket
Semifinal groups
2017
Details
 
Guaros de Lara
3–1 series  
Estudiantes Concordia
Semifinal groups
2018
Details
 
Franca
2–1 series  
Instituto
Semifinal groups
2019
Details
 
Botafogo
2–1 series  
Corinthians
Semifinal groups
2020 Not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic[1]
2021
2022
Details
 
Bauru
66–57  
San Martín de Corrientes
 
Titanes de Barranquilla
 
Oberá
2023
Details
 
Instituto
81–72  
Titanes de Barranquilla
 
Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR)
 
Caribbean Storm
2024
Details
 
Nacional
77–76 (OT)  
San Lorenzo
 
Ciclista Olímpico
 
Defensor Sporting

Titles by club

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Titles Club Years
3   Atenas 1997, 1998, 2004
  Lobos Brasília 2010, 2013, 2015
2   Vasco da Gama 1999, 2000
  Bauru 2014, 2022
  Libertad 2002, 2007
  Regatas Corrientes 2008, 2012
1   Olimpia 1996
  Estudiantes 2001
  Uberlândia 2005
  Ben Hur 2006
  Flamengo 2009 (I)
  Quimsa 2009 (II)
  Obras Sanitarias 2011
  Mogi das Cruzes 2016
  Guaros de Lara 2017
  Franca 2018
  Botafogo 2019
  Instituto 2023
  Nacional 2024

Titles by country

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Titles Country
13   Argentina
12   Brazil
1   Venezuela
  Uruguay

Awards

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Urgente: FIBA canceló las Ligas Sudamericanas masculina y femenina". Basquet Plus (in Spanish). 2021-09-02. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
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