Liga Nacional de Básquetbol

Liga Nacional de Básquetbol
Organising bodyAsociación de Clubes
de Básquetbol
Founded1985; 39 years ago (1985)
by León Najnudel
CountryArgentina
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toLa Liga Argentina
International cup(s)Champions League Americas
Current championsBoca Juniors (4th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsAtenas
(9 titles)
Most appearancesLeonardo Gutiérrez (1,106) [1]
All-time top scorerHéctor Campana (17,359) [1][2]
PresidentFabián Borro
TV partnersTyC Sports
DirecTV
Websitelaliganacional.com.ar
2023–24

The Liga Nacional de Básquetbol (abbreviated LNB, and literally in English, "National Basketball League"), also commonly referred to as "La Liga de Básquet" ("The Basketball League"), is the top-tier level of the Argentine basketball league system. The league is under the auspices of the Basketball Clubs' Association (in Spanish: Asociación de Clubes de Básquetbol). The LNB's predecessor league is the now defunct Campeonato Argentino de Clubes, which was organized by the Argentine Basketball Confederation.

The league was created through the efforts of basketball coach León Najnudel, and sports journalist Osvaldo Orcasitas, in the 1980s, to make Argentine men's club basketball more competitive, through the merging of the many existing local leagues.[3] It is designed like the NBA, with a regular season, all-star game, and playoffs. However, unlike the NBA, the LNB has a promotion and relegation system, with the La Liga Argentina (LLA), the league level that is immediately below the LNB.

A tribute to Najnudel's vision, is the string of successes of the senior men's Argentine national basketball team, culminating with the team's Summer Olympic Games gold medal won at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and the international careers of many players who started in the league.

History

[edit]

Creation

[edit]
León Najnudel with the ball in the first LNB game ever: Argentino de Firmat v. San Lorenzo (in red uniform), 26 April 1985

Before the league was established, the regular tournament was Campeonato Argentino de Clubes where teams from all the provinces took part. The league had a regional format and playoffs.

For the 1984 edition there was 64 teams. The association decided to retire 10 teams, moving them to "Primera Nacional A".[4] Of those teams, 4 were from city of Buenos Aires, and the provinces of Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Santa Fe were represented by 2 teams each.

As a result, a number of 54 teams played the Argentino de clubes. At the end of the tournament, the six best placed team would promote to Primera A, and the rest of the clubs would be relegated to Primera B (second division).[5]

First seasons

[edit]
Ferro Carril Oeste, the first champion of the LNB

The first edition of Liga Nacional was played within 1985, with 16 teams participating although Independiente de Tucumán abandoned the championship for economic reasons. The first game was played on April 26, 1985,[6] when San Lorenzo de Almagro faced Argentino de Firmat at Estadio Obras Sanitarias.

Ferro Carril Oeste was the first LNB champion after defeating Atenas de Córdoba in 3 games. The next season (1986), Ferro Carril Oeste won its second consecutive title, beating Olimpo de Bahía Blanca in 5 games (3-1 on aggregate). The Verdolaga played its third consecutive final series in 1987, but was finally defeated by Atenas, that won the first of 9 titles, being the most winning LNB team to date.

In 1988 Atenas won a second championship beating River Plate and the next year Ferro won another title, being the only title won by León Najnudel as coach.

Competition format

[edit]

Following a system similar to the European basketball leagues, the Liga Nacional features promotion and relegation. Contested by 20 teams, the top division is divided in two stages: the first one consists of a double round-robin competition, with standings decided by a points system. At the end of the season, teams placed 1st to 16th advance to the playoffs, while the last 2 teams play a series to avoid relegation.

The playoffs stage is divided in four parts, where winning teams qualify to the next stage while defeated teams retire from the tournament. The successive stages are quarter finals, semi-finals and the finals. Quarter and semi-finals are played in a 2-2-1 format (best-of-five) while finals are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, which rounds are best-of-seven series.

Current clubs (2023–24 season)

[edit]
Club City Province Seasons Arena Capacity Est.
Argentino Junín Buenos Aires
16
El Fortín de las Morochas
1,465
1935
Boca Juniors City of Buenos Aires
35
Luis Conde
2,000
1905
Ciclista Olímpico La Banda Santiago del Estero
19
Vicente Rosales
3,964
1921
Comunicaciones Mercedes Corrientes
7
Estadio Comunicaciones
3,500
1957
Ferro Carril Oeste City of Buenos Aires
29
Estadio Héctor Etchart
4,500
1904
Gimnasia y Esgrima Comodoro Rivadavia Chubut
35
Socios Fundadores
2,276
1919
Independiente Oliva Córdoba
2
El Gigante
1,800
1921
Instituto Córdoba Córdoba
11
Angel Sandrin
2,000
1918
Oberá Tenis Club Oberá Misiones
4
Estadio Dr. Luis Augusto Derna
2,000
1940
Obras Sanitarias City of Buenos Aires
27
Estadio Obras
3,000
1917
Peñarol Mar del Plata Buenos Aires
37
Islas Malvinas
8,000
1922
Platense Florida Buenos Aires
5
Microestadio Vicente López [n 1]
800
1905
Quimsa Santiago del Estero Santiago del Estero
18
Estadio Ciudad
5,200
1989
Regatas Corrientes Corrientes
20
José Jorge Contte
4,000
1923
Riachuelo La Rioja La Rioja
3
Superdomo
13,000
1944
San Lorenzo City of Buenos Aires
10
Polideportivo Roberto Pando
2,700
1908
San Martín Corrientes Corrientes
11
Estadio Raúl A. Ortiz
2,500
1932
La Unión Formosa Formosa
16
Cincuentenario
4,500
2004
Unión Santa Fe Santa Fe
6
Estadio Ángel Malvicino
5,000
1907
Zárate Basket Zárate Buenos Aires
1
D.A.M. Stadium
4,000
2017[7]
References
  1. ^ The team plays its home games at Obras Sanitarias stadium, with capacity for 3,000 spectators.

Champions

[edit]

List of finals

[edit]
Ed. Season Champion Runner-up Result Winning Coach
1
1985
Ferro Carril Oeste Atenas 2–1 Luis Martínez
2
1986
Ferro Carril Oeste Olimpo 3–1 Luis Martínez
3
1987
Atenas Ferro Carril Oeste 3–1 Walter Garrone
4
1988
Atenas River Plate 3–0 Walter Garrone
5
1989
Ferro Carril Oeste Atenas 3–2 León Najnudel
6
1990
Atenas Cañadense 3–0 Walter Garrone
7
1990–91
GEPU Estudiantes (BB) 4–2 Daniel Rodríguez
8
1991–92
Atenas GEPU 4–1 Rubén Magnano
9
1992–93
GEPU Atenas 4–2 Orlando Ferratto
10
1993–94
Peñarol (MDP) Independiente (GP) 4–1 Nestor García
11
1994–95
Independiente (GP) Olimpia (VT) 4–1 Mario Guzmán
12
1995–96
Olimpia (VT) Atenas 4–3 Horacio Seguí
13
1996–97
Boca Juniors Independiente (GP) 4–1 Julio Lamas
14
1997–98
Atenas Boca Juniors 4–0 Rubén Magnano
15
1998–99
Atenas Independiente (GP) 4–3 Rubén Magnano
16
1999–00
Estudiantes (O) Atenas 4–3 Sergio Hernández
17
2000–01
Estudiantes (O) Libertad 4–1 Sergio Hernández
18
2001–02
Atenas Estudiantes (O) 4–1 Horacio Seguí
19
2002–03
Atenas Boca Juniors 4–2 Oscar Sánchez
20
2003–04
Boca Juniors Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) 4–2 Sergio Hernández
21
2004–05
Ben Hur Boca Juniors 4–1 Julio Lamas
22
2005–06
Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR) Libertad 4–2 Fernando Duró
23
2006–07
Boca Juniors Peñarol 4–2 Gabriel Piccato
24
2007–08
Libertad Quimsa 4–0 Julio Lamas
25
2008–09
Atenas Peñarol 4–2 Rubén Magnano
26
Peñarol (MDP) Atenas 4–1 Sergio Hernández
27
Peñarol (MDP) Atenas 4–1 Sergio Hernández
28
Peñarol (MDP) Obras Sanitarias 4–2 Sergio Hernández
29
Regatas (C) Lanús 4–0 Nicolás Casalánguida
30
Peñarol (MDP) Regatas 4–2 Fernando Rivero
31
Quimsa Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR) 4–2 Silvio Santander
32
San Lorenzo La Unión 4–0 Julio Lamas
33
San Lorenzo Regatas 4–1 Julio Lamas
34
San Lorenzo San Martín (C) 4–2 Gonzalo García
35
San Lorenzo Instituto 4–3 Gonzalo García
2019–20
(season cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic)
36
2020–21
San Lorenzo Quimsa 3–2 Silvio Santander
37
2021–22
Instituto Quimsa
3–2
Lucas Victoriano
38
2022–23
Quimsa Boca Juniors
4–1
Leandro Ramella
39
2023–24
Boca Juniors Instituto
4–2
Gonzalo Pérez

Source: LNB website.[8]

Titles by club

[edit]
Club Titles Years won
Atenas 9 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991–92, 1997–98, 1998–99,
2001–02, 2002–03, 2008–09
Peñarol 5 1993–94, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14
San Lorenzo 5 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21
Boca Juniors 4 1996–97, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2023–24
Ferro Carril Oeste 1985, 1986, 1989
GEPU 2 1990–91, 1992–93
Estudiantes (O) 1999–00, 2000–01
Quimsa 2014–15, 2022-23
Independiente 1 1994–95
Olimpia 1995–96
Ben Hur 2004–05
Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR) 2005–06
Libertad 2007–08
Regatas Corrientes 2012–13
Instituto 2021–22

Awards

[edit]

These are the yearly individual awards are given by the league as a recognition to the most valuable player (in both, regular season and finals) and the top scorer. Leonardo Gutiérrez was chosen finals MVP a record of 4 times, while Joe Bunn is the most times top scorer (5 seasons).

Statistical leaders

[edit]

Retired numbers

[edit]

As of September 2019, 17 players have their jerseys retired. Atenas was the team which started this practice (in 2002, with legendary Marcelo Milanesio's #9).[9][10][11]

Club Player Pos. Tenure No. ret.
year
Ref.
4
Quilmes (MdP) Argentina Eduardo Dominé SG 1990, 1991–2001 2009 [11]
5
Atenas Argentina Héctor Campana SG 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–2000, 2002–04 2005 [10][12]
5
Estudiantes (BB)[n 1] Argentina Hernán Jasen SF 1996–99, 2012–18 2018 [13]
7
Quilmes (MdP) Argentina Esteban De la Fuente SG/SF 1991–93, 1995–97, 2004–05 2013 [11]
7
Atenas Argentina Bruno Lábaque PG 1994–2003, 2006–09, 2010–17 2017 [14]
7
Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR) Argentina Pablo Moldú SG 1994–2006 2019 [15][16]
7
Quimsa Argentina Nicolás Aguirre PG 2011–13, 2014–15 2019 [17]
8
Peñarol (MdP) Argentina Tato Rodríguez PG 1994–1998, 1999–2003, 2004–2011 2011 [18][19]
8
Quilmes (MdP) Argentina Guillermo García Oyaga 1970s–80s [11] 2013 [11]
8
Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR) Argentina Gabriel Cocha SG 1991–92, 1994–98, 2003–07 2019 [15][16]
8
Quimsa Argentina Fernando Small ? 1998–2004, 2005–08 2019 [17][20]
9
Atenas Argentina Marcelo Milanesio PG 1982–2002 2002 [10]
10
Estudiantes (BB)[n 1] Argentina Juan Espil SG/SF 1988–1992, 2010–12 2013 [21][22]
11
Atenas Argentina Diego Osella C 1988–1992, 1993–2001, 2003–2010 2011 [23][24][25]
11
Quimsa Argentina Miguel Cortijo PG 1998–2000 ? [11][26]
14
Estudiantes (BB)[n 1] Argentina Alberto Cabrera [n 2] PG 1961–1984 2004 [27][28]
14
Quimsa Argentina Gabriel Deck SF 2010–16 2019 [17]
Notes
  1. ^ a b c Number retired for both teams, as Bahía Basket was recognised as a continuity of Estudiantes in the LNB.
  2. ^ Although Cabrera did not play for Bahía Basket (he left basketball in 1984), the number 14 is also retired in the franchise.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Liga Nacional: los datos y récords históricos on Basquet Plus, 5 Dec 2018
  2. ^ Leonardo Gutiérrez es el tercer goleador histórico de la Liga Nacional on TyC, 23 Mar 2016
  3. ^ Matías Ron Ares (2010-03-14). "LNB: la historia de su origen" (in Spanish). In Deportes. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  4. ^ Resolución de 1983 para el Campeonato Argentino de Clubes
  5. ^ REGLAMENTO PARA LA ETAPA DE TRANSICION COMPETENCIA AÑO 1984
  6. ^ "Se cumplen 30 años del primer partido oficial de la LNB", Basquet Plus, 26 Apr 2015
  7. ^ Zarate Basket at LNB
  8. ^ "Historial de Campeones de la Liga" (in Spanish). LNB official website. Archived from the original on 2010-08-30. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  9. ^ "Peñarol de Mar del Plata retiró la camiseta de 'Tato' Rodríguez", La Voz, 2011-11-23
  10. ^ a b c Milanesio y Campana homenajeados con el retiro de las míticas "9" y "5" Pick and Roll website, 2005-11-05
  11. ^ a b c d e f Dorsales retirados que marcaron historia by Mariano Blanco, Diario Epoca, 11 May 2015
  12. ^ Atenas retira la camiseta de Héctor "Pichi" Campana, Infobae, 2005-07-12
  13. ^ Se suma Jasen on Bahía Plus, 2 Sep 2018
  14. ^ Se retiró Lábaque con una derrota frente a Instituto, LNB website, 12 May 2017
  15. ^ a b Pablo Moldú: «Me llena de orgullo, es un reconocimiento enorme el que nos hace Gimnasia» on Meridiano Digital, 13 Feb 2019
  16. ^ a b Básquet: Emotivo homenaje de Gimnasia de Comodoro Rivadavia al tornquistense Pablo Moldú on Noticias Tornquist, 15 Feb 2019
  17. ^ a b c El repaso por las camisetas retiradas en la Liga Nacional on Basquet Plus, 14 Ago 2019
  18. ^ "Peñarol retiró la camiseta de 'Tato' Rodríguez", La Voz del Interior, 2011-11-24
  19. ^ "La camiseta de Tato dijo hasta siempre", Pickandroll.com.ar, 2011-11-24 (Archive)
  20. ^ Fernando Small retorna a Quimsa on Web Basketball, 15 Sep 2020
  21. ^ Espil tuvo su merecido homenaje en Bahía, Clarín, 23 February 2013 (archived)
  22. ^ "Espil vivió su noche soñada" at CanchaLlena.com, 22 February 2013
  23. ^ Atenas retiró el 11 de Diego Osella, Gualeguaychú a Diario webpage
  24. ^ Atenas retirará la camiseta 11 en homenaje a Diego Osella Archived 2012-04-01 at the Wayback Machine, La Mañana de Cordoba website
  25. ^ Atenas retira la camiseta 11 de Osella, Día a Día Deportes
  26. ^ "Siempre trabajé para soportar la presión del puesto", interview to Cortijo on La Nueva, 24 Feb 2004
  27. ^ "La 14 inmortal" Pick and Roll site, 2004-10-04 (Archive)
  28. ^ Ordenanza Nº 14604, declarando "Sitio de Interés Cultural e Histórico" al Estadio Osvaldo Casanova 2008-01-08
[edit]