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Liga Națională (men's basketball)

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Liga Națională
Founded1950; 74 years ago (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
(9th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsDinamo București (22 titles)
TV partnersDigi Sport
Prima Sport
Websitewww.frbaschet.ro
2024–2025

The Liga Națională de Baschet 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

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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

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

Titles

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Club Titles Winning years
Dinamo București 22 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1988, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2003
Steaua București 21 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991
CSU Ploiești 11 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
U-BT Cluj-Napoca 9 1992, 1993, 1996, 2011, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
CSM Oradea 3 2016, 2018, 2019
Metalul 23 August București 2 1951, 1952
CSU Sibiu 2 1995, 1999
West Petrom Arad 2 2001, 2002
BCM U Pitești 1 2000

Latest finals

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Season Champion Runner-up Score
2000–01 West Petrom Arad Asesoft Ploiești 3–0
2001–02 West Petrom Arad Dinamo București 3–2
2002–03 Dinamo București West Petrom Arad 3–2
2003–04 Asesoft Ploiești Dinamo București 3–1
2004–05 Asesoft Ploiești Dinamo București 3–1
2005–06 Asesoft Ploiești U Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca 4–1
2006–07 Asesoft Ploiești Argeș Piteşti 4–1
2007–08 Asesoft Ploiești U Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca 4–3
2008–09 Asesoft Ploiești BC Timișoara 4–0
2009–10 Asesoft Ploiești U Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca 4–0
2010–11 U Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca Asesoft Ploiești 4–2
2011–12 Asesoft Ploiești Timișoara 4–0
2012–13 Asesoft Ploiești BC Mureș 4–2
2013–14 Asesoft Ploiești CSM Oradea 3–2
2014–15 Asesoft Ploiești BC Mureș 3–0
2015–16 CSM Oradea BC Mureș 3–2
2016–17 U-BT Cluj-Napoca Steaua CSM Eximbank 3–0
2017–18 CSM Oradea Steaua CSM Eximbank 3–1
2018–19 CSM Oradea CSU Sibiu 3–1
2019–20 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 U-BT Cluj-Napoca CSM Oradea
3–2
2021–22 U-BT Cluj-Napoca CSO Voluntari
3–1
2022–23 U-BT Cluj-Napoca CSM Oradea
4–2
2023–24 U-BT Cluj-Napoca CSM Oradea
4–1

See also

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References

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