The LNB is the most important professional basketball league in Argentina and one of the top basketball tournaments in the American continent.
Usually called Liga Nacional (National League), it was created in the 80s, mainly thanks to the efforts of of coach León Najnudel who had the vision to merge the many existing local leagues to create a more powerful one that could develop better players. It started in 1984 with a transitional champion and was definitely established in 1985.
The most obviously success of the league and Najnudel's efforts were the development of an excellent generation of basketball players with international projection, the conquest of the Silver Medal in FIBA's 2002 World Championship and the first Olympic Gold Medal in Argentina's history in Athens 2004. The list of great players who have played in the LNB include's Marcelo Milanesio, Pichi Campana, Luis Scola, Walter Hermann and current and former NBA players like Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni, Pepe Sanchez and Ruben Wolkowyski.
The design of the competition is similar to the NBA with regular season, all-star game, and Playoffs.
LNB Argentine Basketball Champions |
Season |
Champion |
Runner-up |
Result |
Scores |
2007-08 |
Deportivo Libertad |
QUIMSA |
3-0 |
G1: Libertad 84 - 75 QUIMSA
G2: Libertad 77 - 65 QUIMSA
G3: Libertad 84 - 77 QUIMSA
|
2006-07 |
Boca Juniors |
C. A. Peñarol |
4-2 |
G1: Peñarol 57 - 61 Boca
G2: Peñarol 77 - 75 Boca
G3: Boca 57 - 58 Peñarol
G4: Boca 77 - 74 Peñarol
G5: Peñarol 58 - 66 Boca
G4: Boca 89 - 81 Peñarol |
2005-06 |
Gimnasia y Esgrima
(Comodoro R.) |
Libertad (Sunchales) |
4-2 |
G1: Libertad 80 - 72 Gimnasia
G2: Gimnasia 99 - 78 Libertad
G3: Gimnasia 93 - 69 Libertad
G4: Gimnasia 95 - 74 Libertad
G5: Libertad 90 - 86 Gimnasia
G6: Gimnasia 84 - 80 Libertad |
2004-05 |
Ben Hur |
Boca Juniors |
4-1 |
G1: Ben Hur 89 - 80 Boca
G2: Ben Hur 94 - 75 Boca
G3: Boca 91 - 78 Ben Hur
G4: Ben Hur 91 - 71 Boca
G5: Ben Hur 101 - 92 Boca |
2003-04 |
Boca Juniors |
Gimnasia y Esgrima (La Plata) |
4-2 |
G1: Boca 82 - 86 GELP
G2: Boca PP - GP GELP
G3: GELP 83 - 89 Boca
G4: GELP 89 - 94 Boca
G5: Boca 82 - 72 GELP
G6: GELP 106 - 113 Boca (78)(96) |
2002-03 |
Atenas |
Boca Juniors |
4-2 |
G1: Boca 81 - 78 Atenas
G2: Boca 85 - 66 Atenas
G3: Atenas 92 - 87 Boca
G4: Atenas 100 - 92 Boca
G5: Boca 78 - 80 Atenas
G6: Atenas 99 - 89 Boca (73)(80) |
2001-02 |
Atenas |
Estudiantes (Olavarría) |
4-1 |
G1: Atenas 88 - 82 Estud.
G2: Atenas 104 - 83 Estud.
G3: Estud. 87 - 91 Atenas
G4: Estud. 96 - 90 Atenas
G5: Atenas 87 - 81 Estud. |
2000-01 |
Estudiantes
(Olavarría) |
Libertad (Sunchales) |
4-1 |
G1: Estud. 111 - 100 Libertad
G2: Estud. 84 - 85 Libertad
G3: Libertad 83 - 100 Estud.
G4: Libertad 81 - 96 Estud.
G5: Estud. 132 - 99 Libertad |
1999-00 |
Estudiantes
(Olavarría) |
Atenas |
4-3 |
G1: Estud. 86 - 80 Atenas
G2: Estud. 82 - 66 Atenas
G3: Atenas 95 - 77 Estud.
G4: Atenas 78 - 70 Estud.
G5: Estud. 81 - 76 Atenas
G6: Atenas 80 - 72 Estud.
G7: Estud. 80 - 71 Atenas |
1998-99 |
Atenas |
Independiente
(General Pico) |
4-3 |
G1: Atenas 65 - 67 Indep.
G2: Atenas 72 - 67 Indep.
G3: Indep. 71 - 79 Atenas
G4: Indep. 47 - 52 Atenas
G5: Atenas 74 - 77 Indep.
G6: Indep. 89 - 68 Atenas
G7: Atenas 70 - 58 Indep. |
1997-98 |
Atenas |
Boca Juniors |
4-0 |
G1: Atenas 89 - 87 Boca
G2: Atenas 103 - 88 Boca
G3: Boca 87 - 96 Atenas
G4: Boca 90 - 111 Atenas |
1996-97 |
Boca Juniors |
Independiente
(General Pico) |
4-1 |
G1: Boca 120 - 104 Indep.
G2: Boca 107 - 100 Indep.
G3: Indep. 114 - 119 Boca
G4: Indep. 110 - 95 Boca
G5: Boca 103 - 87 Indep. |
1995-96 |
Olimpia B.B.C |
Atenas |
4-3 |
G1: Olimpia 104 - 102 Atenas
G2: Olimpia 102 - 90 Atenas
G3: Atenas 116 - 102 Olimpia
G4: Atenas 113 - 103 Olimpia
G5: Olimpia 107 - 93 Atenas
G6: Atenas 107 - 98 Olimpia
G7: Olimpia 105 - 100 Atenas |
1994-95 |
Independiente
(General Pico) |
Olimpia B.B.C |
4-1 |
G1: Indep. 124 - 117 Olimpia
G2: Indep. 88 - 84 Olimpia
G3: Olimpia 107 - 93 Indep.
G4: Olimpia 107 - 108 Indep.
G5: Indep. 130 - 111 Olimpia |
1993-94 |
C. A. Peñarol |
Independiente
(General Pico) |
4-1 |
G1: Indep. 77 - 84 Peñarol
G2: Indep. 78 - 89 Peñarol
G3: Peñarol 78 - 72 Indep.
G4: Peñarol 75 - 83 Indep.
G5: Indep. 70 - 84 Peñarol |
1992-93 |
G.E.P.U |
Atenas |
4-1 |
G1: GEPU 85 - 77 Atenas
G2: GEPU 85 - 78 Atenas
G3: Atenas 81 - 84 GEPU
G4: Atenas 96 - 80 GEPU
G5: GEPU 74 - 80 Atenas
G6: Atenas 61 - 66 GEPU |
1991-92 |
Atenas |
G.E.P.U |
4-1 |
G1: Atenas 88 - 84 GEPU
G2: Atenas 101 - 94 GEPU
G3: GEPU 85 - 87 Atenas
G4: GEPU 104 - 80 Atenas
G5: Atenas 97 - 89 GEPU |
1990-91 |
G.E.P.U |
Estudiantes
(Bahia Blanca) |
4-2 |
G1: GEPU 118 - 107 Estud.
G2: GEPU 94 - 77 Estud.
G3: Estud. 86 - 88 GEPU
G4: Estud. 138 - 111 GEPU
G5: GEPU 101 - 106 Estud.
G6: Estud. 101 - 106 GEPU |
1990 |
Atenas |
Sport Club |
3-0 |
G1:Sport Club 72 - 89 Atenas
G2:Sport Club 59 - 72 Atenas
G3:Atenas 78 - 72 Sport Club |
1989 |
Ferro Carril Oeste |
Atenas |
3-2 |
G1: Ferro 74 - 71 Atenas
G2: Ferro 89 - 76 Atenas
G3: Atenas 114 - 90 Ferro
G4: Atenas 93 - 85 Ferro
G5: Ferro 91 - 83 Atenas |
1988 |
Atenas |
River Plate |
3-0 |
G1: Atenas 93 - 82 River
G2: Atenas 85 - 83 River
G3: River 87 - 95 Atenas |
1987 |
Atenas |
Ferro Carril Oeste |
3-1 |
G1: Atenas 98 - 95 Ferro
G2: Atenas 89 - 82 Ferro
G3: Ferro 93 - 80 Atenas
G4: Ferro 80 - 93 Atenas |
1986 |
Ferro Carril Oeste |
Olimpo
(Bahia Blanca) |
3-1 |
G1: Ferro 86 - 84 Olimpo
G2: Ferro 89 - 93 Olimpo
G3: Olimpo 91 - 92 Ferro (80)
G4: Olimpo 77 - 84 Ferro |
1985 |
Ferro Carril Oeste |
Atenas |
2-1 |
G1: Atenas 73 - 72 Ferro
G2: Ferro 77 - 71 Atenas
G3: Ferro 95 - 86 Atenas |
1984 * |
San Andrés * |
River Plate |
2-1 |
G1: San Andrés 97 - 85 River
G2: River 103 - 93 San Andrés
G3: San Andrés 87 - River 81 |
* Transition League Champion |
Summary of Argentine Basketball Champions |
Champion |
Total |
Season |
Atenas |
8 |
1987, 1988, 1990, 1991-92, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2002-03 |
Ferro Carril Oeste |
3 |
1985, 1986, 1989 |
Boca Juniors |
3 |
1996-97, 2003-04, 2006-07 |
Estudiantes (Olavarría) |
2 |
1999-00, 2000-01 |
G.E.P.U |
2 |
1990-91, 1992-93 |
Ben Hur |
1 |
2004-05 |
C. A. Peñarol |
1 |
1993-94 |
Deportivo Libertad |
1 |
2007-08 |
Gimnasia y Esgrima (Comodoro Rivadavia) |
1 |
2005-06 |
Independiente (General Pico) |
1 |
1994-95 |
Olimpia B.B.C |
1 |
1995-96 |
San Andrés * |
1 |
1984 * |
* Transition League Champion |
Total Championships: 24 and 1 transition championship |