WABA League

WABA League, commonly known as the Adriatic League, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring female teams from Serbia, Montenegro, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia. Clubs from Turkey, North Macedonia, Hungary and Italy had their representatives in WABA League in past seasons. Since 2012 a Cadet WABA League and since 2014 Pionir WABA League is also played.

History

Formation and early years

WABA League was established in 2001 as EWWL League. In its first season, it included six teams from four countries (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). After the regular season, it held a tournament in which the three best teams played, which was won by Athlete Celje. In the next season, the league expanded to eight teams, and the final tournament was altered so that the placement included the four top teams. At the final tournament, the winner was Željezničar Sarajevo.

Official trophy of WABA League (March 2016)

In 2003, the league changed its name to EWWL Trocal League, which lasted until 2006. During these seasons, the number of teams playing in the league varied from nine to twelve. From 2004 to 2006, it had a representative from Macedonia and then one from Bulgaria in the 2006–07 season. Austrian clubs left the competition in 2004. Since 2003, the competing teams have been from Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006, the league changed its name to WABA NBL which was used until 2008. In 2006, the WABA Cup launched, which existed until 2010 and was attended by participants in the league. In 2007, the WABA Cup bore the name Vojko Herskel. In the 2008–09 season, the league was named after WABA Multipover; in 2009–10 season, it was named IWBL.

2010s

In 2010, the league changed its name to MŽRKL. The Vojko Herksel Cup was last played. In the 2012–13 season, the league included the Hungarian PEAC-Pécs, and the BelgradePartizan achieved a record in its history, playing 32 matches in the national competitions (regional league, championship and cup) all season without suffering a defeat. In the 2013–14 season, the format of the competition changed. The twelve participating teams were divided into two groups of six teams. Four first-placed teams were placed in the quarterfinals, with the winners to the Final Four.

In the 2015-16 season, the league introduced instead of quarterfinals League 6, in which the first phase the two groups are placed by 3 teams. The League 6 transmitted the results achieved against teams from the same group in the first phase they finished the League 6. League 6 plays a dual circuit system (one game at home and one away) against teams that have qualified from the opposite group previous stage of the competition. The four best teams in League 6 advance to the Final Four.

In September 2016, the league officially changed its name to WABA League.[1] In June 2017, the league signed a sponsorship contract with tourist agency BTravel and officially changed its name to BTravel WABA League.[2]

Names in history

  • EWWL League (2001–2003)
  • EWWL Trocal League (2003–2006)
  • WABA NBL (2006–2008)
  • WABA Multipower (2008–2009)
  • IWBL (2009–2010)
  • MŽRKL (2010–2016)
  • WABA League (2016–present)

Logos

Evolution of the Adriatic League logo
2001–20102010–20162016–20172017–20182018–present
n/awithout a logon/a

Youth competition

Cadet WABA League

In the season 2012–13, the Cadet League was launched, and since it has shown a lot of success in that period, it has continued to be held.[3] The winner of the first two seasons of cadet WABA League is the team Trešnjevka 2009 from Croatia, when he beat the team of Novi Zagreb[4] and Crvena zvezda.[5] In the third seasonis the champion was the team of Triglav Kranj, Slovenia, which is defeated in the final match of Maribor.[6]

Pionir WABA League

Following the success of cadet league, a decision was made to launch the pioneering leagues.[7] In the first season, the winner of the pioneering league is team Croatia 2006 from Zagreb, Croatia, that won at the team of Jedinstvo Tuzla from Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.[8]

Finals

YearHostFinalThird and fourth place
WinnerScoreRunner-upThird placeFourth place
2001–02 DetailsŠibenik (CRO)SloveniaMerkur Celje2:1CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBSBosnia and HerzegovinaŽeljezničar SarajevoN / A
2002–03 DetailsSarajevo (BIH)Bosnia and HerzegovinaŽeljezničar Sarajevo84:78CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBSSloveniaMerkur CeljeCroatiaGospić Industrogradnja
2003–04 DetailsGospić (CRO)CroatiaGospić Industrogradnja59:58CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBSCroatiaCroatia 2006Serbia and MontenegroUniverziteti Priština
2004–05 DetailsŠibenik (CRO)CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBS82:66CroatiaGospić IndustrogradnjaSerbia and MontenegroVojvodina NISBosnia and HerzegovinaŽeljezničar Sarajevo
2005–06 DetailsNovi Sad (SCG)CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBS68:55Serbia and MontenegroVojvodina NISSloveniaMerkur CeljeCroatiaGospić Croatia Osiguranje
2006–07 DetailsSofia (BUL)BulgariaCSKA Sofia73:67CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBSCroatiaGospić Croatia OsiguranjeBosnia and HerzegovinaŽeljezničar Sarajevo
2007–08 DetailsGospić (CRO)CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBS72:66CroatiaGospić Croatia OsiguranjeCroatiaRagusa DubrovnikMontenegroBudućnost Podgorica
2008–09 DetailsBijelo Polje (MNE)CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBS69:63MontenegroJedinstvo Bijelo PoljeCroatiaGospić Croatia OsiguranjeSloveniaMerkur Celje
2009–10 DetailsGospić (CRO)CroatiaGospić73:65CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBSSloveniaMerkur CeljeBosnia and HerzegovinaMladi Krajišnik
2010–11 DetailsŠibenik (CRO)CroatiaŠibenik Jolly JBS20:0CroatiaGospićSloveniaMerkur CeljeSerbiaPartizan
2011–12 DetailsZenica (BIH)SerbiaPartizan Galenika74:65Bosnia and HerzegovinaČelik ZenicaSerbiaVoždovacSerbiaHemofarm Štada
2012–13 DetailsNovi Sad (SRB)SerbiaPartizan Galenika70:45SerbiaRadivoj KoraćHungaryPeac-PécsSerbiaVojvodina NIS
2013–14 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)SerbiaRadivoj Korać87:83SerbiaCrvena zvezdaSloveniaAthlete CeljeMontenegroBudućnost Volcano
2014–15 DetailsCelje (SLO)ItalyUmana Reyer Venezia69:52SerbiaRadivoj KoraćMontenegroBudućnost VolcanoSloveniaAthlete Celje
2015–16 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)MontenegroBudućnost Bemax74:58CroatiaMedveščakSerbiaRadivoj KoraćCroatiaKvarner
2016–17 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)SloveniaAthlete Celje61:57BulgariaBeroeMontenegroBudućnost BemaxBulgariaMontana 2003
2017–18 DetailsMontana (BUL)MontenegroBudućnost Bemax71:68SloveniaCinkarna CeljeBulgariaMontana 2003SerbiaCrvena zvezda
2018–19 DetailsCelje (SLO)BulgariaBeroe65:64MontenegroBudućnost BemaxSloveniaCinkarna CeljeSerbiaCrvena zvezda
2019–20 DetailsStara Zagora (BUL)MontenegroBudućnost BemaxFinal four not playedSloveniaCinkarna CeljeBulgariaMontana 2003BulgariaBeroe
2020–21 DetailsStara Zagora (BUL)BulgariaBeroe66:56MontenegroBudućnost BemaxBulgariaMontana 2003SloveniaCinkarna Celje
2021–22 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)SloveniaCinkarna Celje58:51MontenegroBudućnost BemaxBosnia and HerzegovinaOrloviBulgariaMontana 2003
2022–23 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)SloveniaCinkarna Celje66:64MontenegroBudućnost BemaxSerbiaVojvodina 021BulgariaMontana 2003
2023–24 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)SloveniaCinkarna Celje64:59MontenegroBudućnost BemaxBosnia and HerzegovinaOrloviSerbiaSloga Požega
2024–25 DetailsCelje (SLO)MontenegroBudućnost Bemax71:64SloveniaCinkarna CeljeBulgariaMontana 2003BulgariaBeroe
2025–26 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)BulgariaMontana 200369:66SloveniaCinkarna CeljeMontenegroBudućnost BemaxSerbiaPartizan 1953

Champions

TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up
CroatiaŠibenik
5
5
2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 20112002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010
SloveniaCinkarna Celje
5
3
2002, 2017, 2022, 2023, 20242018, 2020, 2025
MontenegroBudućnost Podgorica
4
5
2016, 2018, 2020, 20252019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
CroatiaGospić
2
3
2004, 20102005, 2008, 2011
BulgariaBeroe
2
1
2019, 20212017
SerbiaPartizan
2
2012, 2013
SerbiaRadivoj Korać
1
2
20142013, 2015
Bosnia and HerzegovinaŽeljezničar Sarajevo
1
2003
BulgariaCSKA Sofia
1
2007
ItalyUmana Reyer Venezia
1
2015
SerbiaVojvodina
1
2006
MontenegroJedinstvo Bijelo Polje
1
2009
Bosnia and HerzegovinaČelik Zenica
1
2012
SerbiaCrvena zvezda
1
2014
CroatiaMedveščak
1
2016

Notable persons

Former players

 Belarus
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Croatia
 Czech Republic
 North Macedonia
 
 Montenegro
 Serbia
 
 Slovenia
 United States
 

Former coaches

Awards

Sponsors

Title sponsor
  • BTravel (Croatian tourist agency) (June 2017 - 2018)

See also

References

  1. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga". Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  2. "Igra i Kraljevo, sutra žreb, sponzor i novo ime lige". 29 June 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga". Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  4. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga". Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  5. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga". Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  6. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga". Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  7. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga". Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  8. "MŽRKL - Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga". Retrieved 29 May 2015.