FIBA Americas League

The FIBA Americas League (Portuguese: FIBA Liga das Américas, Spanish: FIBA Liga de las Américas), officially abbreviated as the LDA, was the premier intercontinental basketball club competition played annually by clubs of the entire Americas. Organized by FIBA Americas, the competition was replaced by the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA) in September 2019.[1] The inaugural season started on 4 December 2007.[2] The FIBA Americas League was a recreation of the now defunct Pan American Club Championship, that existed from 1993 to 2000.[3]

FIBA Americas League
Founded2007 (2007)
First season2007–08
Folded2019 (2019)
Replaced byChampions League Americas
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Most championships Guaros de Lara
Peñarol
San Lorenzo (2 titles)
CEOUsie Richards
TV partnersDirecTV
Websitewww.fiba.basketball/ligamericas/2018
2019 FIBA Americas League

The winner of the Final Four, the culminating tournament of each season's FIBA Americas League, is crowned as the champion of all of the FIBA Americas zone region. The tournament's final is called the Grand Final. It is the first-tier and most important professional international club basketball competition in the regions of South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

From 2013 to 2015, the winner of each season's FIBA Americas tournament, played against the winner of each season's European top-tier level EuroLeague competition, at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, in order to determine an official club world cup champion. Since 2016, the champions of the FIBA Americas League contest the FIBA Intercontinental Cup against the champions of one of the two European second-tier level competitions, the FIBA Champions League.

History

In 1993, the Campeonato Panamericano de Clubes de Básquetbol (Pan American Basketball Club Championship) was created as the top tier Pan American tournament, running from 1993 until 2000. In December 2007, the FIBA Americas League was introduced to occupy this level of competition.

The FIBA Americas League was formed in 2007, as a professional intercontinental men's basketball club competition, under the organization of FIBA Americas, with the goal of creating a world-class top level multinational basketball league in the Americas region. The league was modeled after the EuroLeague, Europe's top-tier level multinational club basketball league. The main reason for creating the league was the promotion and growth of the sport, and the increased level of competition that would come from the creation of a multinational super league in the FIBA Americas region.

Another one of the main goals in the creation of the league was to eventually revive the dormant FIBA Intercontinental Cup, so that clubs from the FIBA Americas region could once again directly compete against top EuroLeague teams in official games, and so that an official world cup championship could once again be contested. FIBA World decided to revive the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2013, deciding that the champions of the FIBA Americas League would play against the champions of the EuroLeague, to decide on the world club champion. It was then decided by FIBA World that the tournament would be played every year from then on for the foreseeable future. Since 2016, the FIBA Americas League champions play against the champions of one of the two European second-tier level competitions, the FIBA Champions League.

Another goal in creating the league was to form a league system of teams that could form a partnership with the EuroLeague and NBA on playing friendly games during the preseason, in the same way that the EuroLeague and NBA teams were already playing against each other during the preseason. This was finally realized in the 2014–15 preseason, when teams from the FIBA Americas League played against teams from both the EuroLeague and the NBA.

Names of the top-tier level Pan American competition

Format

Under the original format, 16 participating clubs were divided in four groups, of four teams each. The top two clubs of each group qualified for the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals winners then played a four-team group stage, in a yet to be determined host city.[4]

Under the current format, the 16 participating clubs are divided in four groups, of four teams each. The top two clubs of each group qualify for the semifinals. The semifinals winners qualify to play at the FIBA Americas League Final 4, in a yet to be determined host city. The final four format was held for the first time in 2014. The last game of the tournament is called the Grand Final.

Final Fours and Grand Finals (2007–present)

Year Grand Final Final Four
Champion Score Second Place Third Place Fourth Place
2007–08
Details

Peñarol
League stage
Soles de Mexicali

Miami Tropics

Minas
2008–09
Details

Brasília
League stage
Halcones UV Xalapa

Biguá

Minas
2009–10
Details

Peñarol
League stage
Espartanos de Margarita

Halcones UV Xalapa

Quimsa
2010–11
Details

Regatas Corrientes
League stage
Capitanes de Arecibo

Halcones UV Xalapa

Halcones Rojos
2012
Details

Pioneros de Quintana Roo
League stage
La Unión

Obras Sanitarias

Brasília
2013
Details

Pinheiros
League stage
Lanús

Capitanes de Arecibo

Brasília
2014
Details

Flamengo
85–78
Pinheiros

Aguada

Halcones UV Xalapa
2015
Details

Bauru
86–72
Pioneros de Quintana Roo

Flamengo

Peñarol
2016
Details

Guaros de Lara
84–79
Bauru

Mogi das Cruzes

Flamengo
2017
Details

Guaros de Lara
88–65
Weber Bahía Blanca

Leones de Ponce

Fuerza Regia
2018
Details

San Lorenzo
79–71
Mogi das Cruzes

Regatas Corrientes

Estudiantes Concordia
2019
Details

San Lorenzo
64–61
Guaros de Lara

Paulistano

Capitanes de Ciudad de México

Performances

By club

Team Winners Runners-Up Third Place Fourth Place
Guaros de Lara2 (2016, 2017)1 (2019)00
Peñarol2 (2007–08, 2009–10)001 (2015)
San Lorenzo de Almagro2 (2018, 2019)000
Bauru1 (2015)1 (2016)00
Pinheiros1 (2013)1 (2014)00
Pioneros de Quintana Roo1 (2012)1 (2015)00
Flamengo1 (2014)01 (2015)1 (2016)
Regatas Corrientes1 (2010–11)01 (2018)0
Brasília1 (2008–09)002 (2012, 2013)
Halcones UV Xalapa01 (2008–09)2 (2009–10, 2010–11)1 (2014)
Capitanes de Arecibo01 (2010–11)1 (2013)0
Mogi das Cruzes01 (2018)1 (2016)0
Soles de Mexicali01 (2007–08)00
Espartanos de Margarita01 (2009–10)00
La Unión de Formosa01 (2012)00
Lanús01 (2013)00
Weber Bahía Blanca01 (2017)00
Miami Tropics001 (2007–08)0
Biguá001 (2008–09)0
Obras Sanitarias001 (2012)0
Aguada001 (2014)0
Leones de Ponce001 (2017)0
Paulistano001 (2019)0
Minas0002 (2007–08, 2008–09)
Quimsa0001 (2009–10)
Halcones Rojos0001 (2010–11)
Fuerza Regia0001 (2017)
Estudiantes Concordia0001 (2018)
Capitanes de Ciudad de México0001 (2019)

By country

Nation Winners Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
Argentina5323
Brazil4335
Venezuela2200
Mexico1324
Puerto Rico0120
Uruguay0020
United States0010

FIBA Americas League awards

See also

References

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