Syrian Basketball League
Organising bodySyrian Basketball Federation
Founded1956; 68 years ago (1956)
First season1956–1957
CountrySyria
ConfederationFIBA Asia (Asia)
WABA (West Asia)
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toDivision 2
Domestic cup(s)Syrian Basketball Cup
SupercupSyrian Super Cup
International cup(s)FIBA Asia Champions Cup
West Asia Super League
Arab Club Basketball Championship
Current championsAl Wahda (10th title)
(2022)
Most championshipsJalaa SC (29 titles)
TV partnersSama TV
Syria TV
Websitewww.syrbf.org
2021–22 season

The Syrian Basketball League (Arabic: الدوري السوري لكرة السلة), officially Syriatel Basketbal League, is the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Syria. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Syrian Basketball Federation. Both Aleppo teams, Jalaa SC and Al-Ittihad SC, dominated the league until 1993.[1]

History

SBL in 2008 season

Jalaa SC, previously known as Shabibeh, dominated the league from 1956 until 1978. Then another team from Aleppo, Al-Ittihad SC, took all the titles until 1993.[2] Later on, Damascus clubs Al Wahda and Al-Jaish SC won some titles sporadically.[3] In 2021, for the first time in SBL history, the league was won by a club from the city of Homs, Al-Karamah SC.[4]

Sponsorship

As of 2022, the league's main partners are Sinalco,[5] Syriatel, Cham Wings Airlines, Sama TV and Syria TV.

Competition format

Al-Jaish playing against Jalaa SC in 2008

The SBL is played by the international FIBA rules. Since 2020–21 the SBL season has a new format. In the regular season, all teams play each other first home and away.[6]

Based on the order in the first round, the top four teams play the playoff system.[7] The semi-final consists of a series played in the twice-to-beat format of the best team with the worst and the second with the third of four.[7]

The final is played in the format of two advancing semi-finalists in a series of three winning matches in the best of five format.[8]

Promotion and relegation

The two worst teams relegate at the end of the season and the two best teams in Division 2 advance to the league.[6]

Current clubs

2021–22 teams:[9][10]

Syrian Basketball League is located in Syria
Al-Karamah Al-Wathba
Al-Jaish Al-Wahda Al-Fayhaa Al-Thawra
Al-Jaish
Al-Wahda
Al-Fayhaa
Al-Thawra
Huteen
Al-Taliya Al-Nawair
Al-Ittihad Al-Jalaa Al-Hurriya
Locations of teams in the Syrian Basketball League 2021–22
Team City Venue
Jalaa SC Aleppo Al-Assad Sports Arena
Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo Al-Hamadaniah Sports Arena
Al-Hurriya SC Aleppo Al-Assad Sports Arena
Al-Jaish SC Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Al Wahda SC Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Al-Fayhaa Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Al-Thawra SC Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Al-Karamah SC Homs Ghazwan Abu Zaid Arena
Al-Wathba SC Homs Ghazwan Abu Zaid Arena
Al-Nawair SC Hama Naseh al-Wani Arena
Al-Taliya SC Hama Naseh al-Wani Arena
Huteen SC Latakia Latakia Sports Arena

Title holders

Season Champion
1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79 Jalaa SC
1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 Al-Ittihad SC
1993–94 Al Wahda
1994–95 Al-Ittihad SC
1995–96 Al-Ittihad SC
1996–97 Al Wahda
1997–98 Al Wahda
1998–99 Al Wahda
1999–00 Al-Ittihad SC
2000–01 Al Wahda
2001–02 Al Wahda
2002–03 Al Wahda
2003–04 Al-Jaish SC
2004–05 Al-Jaish SC
2005–06 Al-Ittihad SC
2006–07 Jalaa SC
2007–08 Jalaa SC
2008–09 Jalaa SC
2009–10 Al-Jaish SC
2010–11 Jalaa SC
2011–12 Jalaa SC
2012–13 No Championship
2013–14 Al Wahda
2014–15 Al Wahda
2015–16 Al-Jaish SC
2016–17 Al-Jaish SC
2017–18 Al-Jaish SC
2018–19 Al-Jaish SC
2019–20 Season was suspended at the semi-finals due to COVID-19 pandemic in Syria
2020–21 Al-Karamah SC
2021–22 Al-Ittihad SC
2022–23 Al Wahda

Performances

Finals

Season Champions Score Runners-up
2003–04 Al-Jaish No play-offs Jalaa
2004–05 Al-Jaish No play-offs Jalaa
2005–06 Al-Ittihad No play-offs Jalaa
2006–07 Jalaa 2–0 Al-Ittihad
2007–08 Jalaa No play-offs Al-Jaish
2008–09 Jalaa 3–0 Al-Jaish
2009–10 Al-Jaish 2–1 Jalaa
2010–11 Jalaa 3–0 Al-Jaish
2011–12 Jalaa 2–0 Al-Ittihad
2012–13 No Championship
2013–14 Al-Wahda 1–0 Al-Ittihad
2014–15 Al-Wahda 2–1 Al-Ittihad
2015–16 Al-Jaish 3–0 Al-Karamah
2016–17 Al-Jaish No play-offs —
2017–18 Al-Jaish No play-offs —
2018–19 Al-Jaish 3–1 Jalaa
2019–20 No Championship
2020–21 Al-Karamah 2–1 Al-Wahda
2021–22 Al-Ittihad 3–0 Al-Karamah
2022–23 Al-Wahda 3–0 Al-Ittihad

Performance by club

Club Winners Winning years
Jalaa SC 29 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012
Al-Ittihad SC 18 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2022
Al Wahda 10 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2014, 2015, 2023
Al-Jaish SC 7 2004, 2005, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Al-Karamah SC 1 2021

Performance by city

City Winners Club(s)
Aleppo 47 Jalaa SC, Al-Ittihad SC
Damascus 17 Al Wahda, Al-Jaish SC
Homs 1 Al-Karamah SC

Women's league

2021–22 teams:[11][12]

Team City Venue
Al-Jalaa SC Aleppo Al-Jalaa Arena
Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo Al-Assad Sports Arena
Ouroube SC Aleppo Al-Yarmouk Arena
Al-Thawra SC Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Al-Wahda SC Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Barada SC Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Qasioun SC Damascus Al-Fayhaa Arena
Tishreen SC Latakia Latakia Sports Arena
Muhardeh SC Muhardeh Muhardeh Arena
Al-Sahel SC Tartous Basel al-Assad Arena

References

  1. ^ "Al Jalaa, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Al-Ittihad, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Al Wahda, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Al-Karamah Homs, History". asia-basket. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  5. ^ Sinalco Syria
  6. ^ a b "Syrian Basketball League, season 2020-2021". goalzz.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Syrian Basketball League, season 2020-2021– Play-off". goalzz.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Syrian Basketball League, season 2020-2021 Final". goalzz.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Division I – Round 3: Al Huryieh lose to Al Jalaa". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  10. ^ "SBL Standings". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Women League (Season 2021-22)". asia-basket.com. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Syrian Women Basketball League". goalzz.com. Retrieved 14 January 2022.

External links

Men's basketball leagues
Categories