2019–20 Pro Basketball League

The 2019–20 Pro Basketball League, for sponsorship reasons the EuroMillions Basketball League, season was the 93rd season of the Pro Basketball League (PBL), first tier of basketball in Belgium. The season started on 13 September 2019 and was stopped abruptly in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 13 March 2020, the Belgian Basketball Association decided, in agreement with all participating clubs, to end the season rather than assume the postponed matches could still be played, taking the current standings as final. As such, Oostende won their 21st title.[1]

Pro Basketball League
Season2019–20
Dates13 September 2019 – 13 March 2020[note 1]
Games played196
Teams10
Finals
ChampionsOostende (21st title)[note 1]
  Runners-upBelfius Mons-Hainaut
Statistical leaders
Points Hugh Robertson 19.6
Rebounds Marin Marić 8.8
Assists Luka Rupnik 6.0
Index Rating Hugh Robertson 23.4

Format

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For the regular season, teams will be divided into two five-team groups according to their positions in the previous season. Teams qualified in positions 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 joined the Group A while the rest will compose the Group B.[2]

Firstly, all teams will face each other of their group once home and away while in a second round, every PBL team will play each other home and away.

Teams

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The same tean teams from the previous season joined the competition.

Arenas and locations

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Location of the 2019–20 Pro Basketball League teams
Club City Arena Capacity
Phoenix Brussels Brussels Piscine de Neder-Over-Hembeek 1,200
Belfius Mons-Hainaut Mons Mons Arena 4,000
Crelan Okapi Aalstar Aalst Okapi Forum 2,800
Hubo Limburg United Hasselt Sporthal Alverberg 1,730
Kangoeroes Mechelen Mechelen Winketkaai 1,500
Filou Oostende Ostend Versluys Dôme 5,000
Spirou Charleroi Dôme 6,200
Stella Artois Leuven Bears Leuven Sportoase 3,400
Telenet Giants Antwerp Antwerp Lotto Arena 5,218
VOO Liège Liège Country Hall 5,000

Personnel and jerseys

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Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Main sponsor
Antwerp Giants   Christophe Beghin   Dave Dudzinski Spalding Telenet
Kangoeroes Mechelen   Paul Vervaeck   Spalding Coca-Cola / StanleyBet / PMC
Leuven Bears   Eddy Casteels   Hugh Robertson Spalding Stella Artois
Liège Basket   Sacha Massot   Miloš Bojović Spalding VOO
Limburg United   Brian Lynch[3]   Wen Mukubu K1X Hubo
Mons-Hainaut   Vedran Bosnić[4]   Justin Cage Olympic Belfius
Okapi Aalstar   Yves Defraigne[5]   Senne Geukens Spalding Crelan
Oostende   Dario Gjergja   Dušan Đorđević Spalding Filou
Phoenix Brussels   Laurent Monier (ad. int.)   Guy Muya Macron
Spirou   Sam Rotsaert (ad. int.)   Alex Libert Spalding Telenet

Regular season

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First round

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Second round

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Filou Oostende (C) 17 13 4 1456 1216 +240 30 Qualification for Champions League[a]
2 Belfius Mons-Hainaut 17 12 5 1265 1222 +43 29 Qualification for Champions League qualifying round
3 Telenet Giants Antwerp 17 11 6 1410 1271 +139 28 Qualification for EuroCup
4 Hubo Limburg United 17 10 7 1391 1321 +70 27
5 Spirou 17 9 8 1382 1380 +2 26
6 Stella Artois Leuven Bears 17 8 9 1334 1363 −29 25
7 Kangoeroes Mechelen 17 8 9 1231 1241 −10 25
8 Crelan Okapi Aalstar 17 7 10 1247 1238 +9 24
9 Phoenix Brussels 17 6 11 1299 1278 +21 23
10 VOO Liège 17 1 16 1071 1556 −485 18
Updated to match(es) played on 9 March 2020. Source: EuroMillions League
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ Initially, the first eight teams would qualify for the playoffs. However, due to the interruption of the league, the playoffs were suspended. As first club in the standings, BC Oostende qualifies for the 2020–21 Basketball Champions League.

Results

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Home \ Away MON OOS LIM MEC BRU SPI LEU ANT OKA LIE MON OOS LIM MEC BRU SPI LEU ANT OKA LIE
Belfius Mons-Hainaut 78–58 82–99 68–67 80–68 73–72 72–99 91–88
Filou Oostende 73–66 95–73 74–62 102–62 86–56 93–99 95–82 85–77 88–70
Hubo Limburg United 78–75 73–69 104–99 93–57 69–92 84–90 68–62
Kangoeroes Mechelen 70–75 73–78 57–79 71–59 81–76 79–78 90–98 63–73 87–95 102–77
Phoenix Brussels 75–77 71–79 61–74 77–62 62–77 71–80 72–76 88–69 89–75
Spirou 58–64 84–94 76–100 77–85 90–69 86–76 82–67 84–83
Stella Artois Leuven Bears 57–65 83–91 77–94 91–78 74–84 88–79 83–80 79–56
Telenet Giants Antwerp 70–52 70–84 84–60 81–69 101–90 77–70 86–72 92–46
Crelan Okapi Aalstar 68–69 95–88 86–68 85–71 73–83 91–72 82–58 68–85 84–64
VOO Liège 60–90 68–112 68–76 66–87 58–110 87–85 63–113 59–76 70–101
Updated to match(es) played on 9 March 2020. Source: EuroMillions Basketball League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Red = away team win.

Play-offs

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Quarterfinals and semifinals were scheduled to be played in a best-of-three games format, while the finals would be held in a best-of-five (1-1-1-1-1) format. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic these were not held at all.

Individual awards

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MVP of the Week

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Round Player Team PIR Ref.
1
  Marin Marić Okapi Aalstar
35

In European competitions

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Team Competition Progress
Oostende Champions League Round of 16
Telenet Giants Antwerp Regular season
Proximus Spirou FIBA Europe Cup Second round
Phoenix Brussels Regular season

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The 2019–20 season was ended on 13 March 2020, Oostende were named champions based on standings at that time.

References

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  1. ^ "EuroMillions Basketball League cancelled due to coronavirus". EuroMillions Basketball League. 13 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Licences & Competition Format EuroMillions Basketball League Season 2019-2020". EuroMillions Basketball League. 12 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Brian Lynch terug als head coach bij Hubo Limburg United". www.hubolimburgunited.be. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Le Bosnien Vedran Bosnic nouveau coach de Belfius Mons-Hainaut". Communes, régions, Belgique, monde, sports – Toute l'actu 24h/24 sur Lavenir.net. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  5. ^ "YVES DEFRAIGNE NIEUWE HEADCOACH VAN CRELAN OKAPI AALSTAR". 18 January 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Marin Maric is EuroMillions MVP of the Week". EuroMillions Basketball League. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
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