2017–18 Pro Basketball League

Pro Basketball League
Season2017–18
Dates23 September 2017 – 13 June 2018
Teams10
Regular season
Season MVPJean Salumu
Finals
ChampionsOostende (19th title)
  Runners-upTelenet Giants Antwerp
SemifinalistsProximus Spirou
Okapi Aalstar
Finals MVPTonye Jekiri
Statistical leaders
Points Miloš Bojović 18.3
Rebounds Tonye Jekiri 7.3
Assists Joe Rahon 5.6
Index Rating Seth Tuttle 17.3

The 2017–18 Pro Basketball League, for sponsorship reasons the EuroMillions Basketball League, was the 91st season of the Belgian Basketball League, first tier of basketball in Belgium. The defending champion was Oostende. The season started on 23 September 2017 and ended 14 June 2018.

Teams

Antwerp Giants changed its name to Telenet Giants Antwerp, following a sponsorship agreement with Telenet.[1] Meanwhile, Telenet left Oostende which meant the sponsored club name disappeared after seven years.

Arenas and locations

class=notpageimage|
Location of the 2017–18 Belgian Basketball League teams
Club City Arena Capacity
Basic-Fit Brussels Brussels Piscine de Neder-Over-Hembeek 1,200
Belfius Mons-Hainaut Mons Mons.Arena 4,000
VOO Liège[a] Liège Country Hall 5,000
Crelan Okapi Aalstar Aalst Okapi Forum 2,800
Hubo Limburg United Hasselt Alverberg Sporthal
1,730
Kangoeroes Willebroek Willebroek Sporthal de Schalk 1,000
Oostende Ostend Versluys Dôme 5,000
Proximus Spirou Charleroi Spiroudome 6,200
Stella Artois Leuven Bears Leuven Sportoase 3,400
Telenet Giants Antwerp Antwerp Lotto Arena 5,218
  1. ^ Liège Basket started the season as "BetFirst Liège Basket", however it changed its name into "VOO Liège Basket" in February 2018.

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Basic-Fit Brussels Belgium Serge Crèvecoeur Spalding Basic-Fit Fitness
Belfius Mons-Hainaut Belgium Daniel Goethals Jako Belfius
VOO Liège Belgium Laurent Constantiello Jako BetFirst
Crelan Okapi Aalstar Belgium Jean-Marc Jaumin Jartazi Crelan
Hubo Limburg United United States Ronnie McCollum K1X Hubo
Kangoeroes Willebroek Croatia Damir Milačić Jako
Oostende Croatia Dario Gjergja Spalding
Proximus Spirou United States Brian Lynch Spalding Proximus
Stella Artois Leuven Bears Belgium Ferried Naciri Stella Artois
Telenet Giants Antwerp Belgium Roel Moors Spalding Telenet

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment
Hubo Limburg United United States Brian Lynch Signed with Proximus Spirou 31 June 2017[2] Pre-season United States Ronnie McCollum 9 April 2017[3]
Proximus Spirou Belgium Fluvio Bastianini Mutual consent 19 March 2017[4] United States Brian Lynch 9 April 2017[2]
Hubo Limburg United United States Ronnie McCollum Fired 17 November 2017 [5] 8th (2–6) Belgium Pascal Angillis 17 November 2017[5]

Regular season

In the regular season, teams play against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The eight highest placed teams advance to the playoffs. The first games are played on 23 September 2017 and the regular season finishes on 20 May 2018.[6]

Standings

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Oostende 36 29 7 2969 2470 +499 65 Qualification for playoffs
2 Telenet Giants Antwerp 36 27 9 2911 2618 +293 63
3 Proximus Spirou 36 25 11 2954 2783 +171 61
4 Crelan Okapi Aalstar 36 23 13 2898 2708 +190 59
5 Belfius Mons-Hainaut 36 20 16 2870 2886 −16 56
6 Hubo Limburg United 36 16 20 2889 2903 −14 52
7 Kangoeroes Willebroek 36 13 23 2826 3111 −285 49
8 Basic-Fit Brussels 36 12 24 2637 2812 −175 48
9 VOO Liège 36 8 28 2970 3217 −247 44
10 Stella Artois Leuven Bears 36 7 29 2628 3044 −416 43
Source: EuroMillions League

Playoffs

The playoffs start on 26 May and end on 13, 15 or 17 June 2017. The winner of the playoffs is crowned Belgian national champion. In the quarterfinals and semifinals a best-of-three format is used, while the finals are played in a best-of-five format. The higher seeded team had home advantage and played games one, three and five (if possible) at home. Small bold numbers indicate team seeding.

Bracket

 
QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
 
          
 
 
 
 
1
Oostende		2
 
 
 
8
Basic-Fit Brussels		0
 
1
Oostende		2
 
 
 
4
Okapi Aalstar		0
 
4
Okapi Aalstar		2
 
 
 
5
Belfius Mons-Hainaut		1
 
1
Oostende		3
 
 
 
2
Telenet Giants Antwerp		0
 
2
Telenet Giants Antwerp		2
 
 
 
7
Kangoeroes Willebroek		0
 
2
Telenet Giants Antwerp		2
 
 
 
3
Proximus Spirou		0
 
3
Proximus Spirou		2
 
 
6
Hubo Limburg United		0
 

Quarterfinals

Team 1 Series Team 2 Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Oostende 2–0 Basic-Fit Brussels 103–62 84–63
Okapi Aalstar 2–1 Belfius Mons-Hainaut 79–81 82–80 81–71
Telenet Giants Antwerp 2–0 Kangoeroes Willebroek 76–62 95–65
Proximus Spirou 2–0 Hubo Limburg United 89–62 80–73

Semifinals

Team 1 Series Team 2 Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Oostende 2–0 Okapi Aalstar 82–60 80–64
Telenet Giants Antwerp 2–0 Proximus Spirou 90–80 83–82

Finals

Team 1 Series Team 2 Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5
Oostende 3–0 Telenet Giants Antwerp 75–67 74–66 78–67

Final standings

Pos Team Pld W L Qualification or relegation
1 Oostende (C) 43 36 7 Qualification for Champions League regular season
2 Telenet Giants Antwerp 43 31 12 Qualification for Champions League first qualifying round
3 Proximus Spirou 40 27 13
4 Crelan Okapi Aalstar 41 25 16
5 Belfius Mons-Hainaut 39 21 18 Qualification for FIBA Europe Cup
6 Hubo Limburg United 38 16 22
7 Kangoeroes Willebroek 38 13 25
8 Basic-Fit Brussels 38 12 26
9 VOO Liège 36 8 28
10 Stella Artois Leuven Bears 36 7 29
Source: EuroMillions League
(C) Champions

Awards

Individual honours

Award Player Club Ref.
Most Valuable Player Belgium Jean Salumu Oostende
[7]
Belgian Player of the Year Belgium Jean Salumu Oostende
Most Promising Player Belgium Thomas Akyazili Telenet Giants Antwerp
Coach of the Year Croatia Dario Gjergja Oostende

All-League Teams

All-Offensive Team All-Defensive Team
Serbia Dušan Đorđević Oostende United States Paris Lee Telenet Giants Antwerp
United States Garlon Green Belfius Mons-Hainaut United States Bill Amis Okapi Aalstar
Belgium Jean Salumu Oostende Belgium Jean Salumu Oostende
United States Chase Fieler Oostende Belgium Jean-Marc Mwema Oostende
United States Seth Tuttle Proximus Spirou Nigeria Tonye Jekiri Oostende

In European competitions

Team Competition Progress Ref
Oostende Champions League Regular season [8]
Telenet Giants Antwerp Regular season
Proximus Spirou FIBA Europe Cup Regular season
Belfius Mons-Hainaut Second round

References

  1. ^ Telenet komende drie jaar hoofdsponsor van Antwerp Giants
  2. ^ a b Brian Lynch vertrekt bij Limburg United en wordt coach van Charleroi
  3. ^ "HUBO LIMBURG UNITED STELT RONNIE MCCOLLUM ALS NIEUWE COACH VOOR". Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  4. ^ Fulvio Bastianini stopt als coach van eersteklasser in basketbal Charleroi
  5. ^ a b "Pascal Angillis takes over at Hubo Limburg United". Euromillions Basketball. 2017-11-20. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  6. ^ "Kalender bekend: BC Oostende speelt twee keer thuis in kerstperiode 2017". Knack.be. 2017-06-29.
  7. ^ "Salumu (Oostende) verkozen tot MVP, Akyazili (Antwerp) belofte van het jaar" (in Dutch). HLN.be. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  8. ^ Champions League Qualification Rounds and Regular Season draw completed[permanent dead link‍]