The Nationale 1 Hommes, officially named the Luxembourgish Basketball League (formerly known as the Total League), is the highest men's basketball league in Luxembourg. The league's governing body is Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Basketball (FLBB). Prior to the 2012–13 season, the league was known as the Diekirch League.
About
As the league is semi-professional, all clubs are run as not-for-profit. Each team in the league is allowed to have two American players on the roster. While most local players do not receive a salary, American players are paid.
There are two player statuses: JICL (French acronym for "player registered with a Luxembourgian club") and non-JICL. To be classified as JICL, a player has to have obtained a license from a FLBB club before their 16th birthday, or have one for at least three seasons between their 16th and 21st birthday. Prior to the 2013–14 season, each team was only allowed two non-JICL players, no exceptions. In July 2013, the European Commission adjudged the ruling was contrary to the Schengen Agreement. Following that decision, the rule was scrapped and replaced by a gentlemen's agreement to keep the number at two, though some have signed a third non-JICL player, arguing they were part-time players.
Format
During the regular season, each team plays the other nine teams twice, one at home and one away (10 teams, 18 games, 18 rounds). After this, the top six teams move on to the second stage, where they play a further 10 games against each other. The top four teams at the conclusion of the second stage move on to the playoffs. In the semi-finals, the No. 1 seed plays the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed plays the No. 3 seed. The winner of each best-of-three semi-final moves on to the Finals series to decide the title (also best-of-three).
Meanwhile, the bottom four teams after the regular season join the best four teams from the second-tier Nationale 2 to play for relegation and promotion respectively. The two worst ranked Total League teams are relegated whilst the two best Nationale 2 teams are promoted.
Current clubs
Title holders
1933–34: Nitia
1934–35: Nitia
1935–36: Nitia
1936–37: Nitia
1937–38: Nitia
1938–39: Nitia
1939–40: Nitia
1940–44: Not held
1944–45: Nitia
1945–46: Nitia
1946–47: Nitia
1947–48: Nitia
1948–49: Nitia
1949–50: Nitia
1950–51: Nitia
1951–52: Black Boys Kayl
1952–53: Nitia
1953–54: Nitia
1954–55: Etzella
1955–56: Etzella
1956–57: Etzella
1957–58: Sparta Bertrange
1958–59: Rou'de Le'w Kayl
1959–60: Sparta Bertrange
1960–61: Etzella
1961–62: Etzella
1962–63: Etzella
1963–64: Etzella
1964–65: Etzella
1965–66: Black Star Mersch
1966–67: Racing Luxembourg
1967–68: Black Star Mersch
1968–69: Sparta Bertrange
1969–70: Etzella
1970–71: Amicale Steesel
1971–72: Etzella
1972–73: Amicale Steesel
1973–74: Sparta Bertrange
1974–75: T71 Dudelange
1975–76: T71 Dudelange
1976–77: T71 Dudelange
1977–78: Amicale Steesel
1978–79: Sparta Bertrange
1979–80: Amicale Steesel
1980–81: Amicale Steesel
1981–82: T71 Dudelange
1982–83: T71 Dudelange
1983–84: T71 Dudelange
1984–85: T71 Dudelange
1985–86: Sparta Bertrange
1986–87: Sparta Bertrange
1987–88: Contern
1988–89: Union Sportive Hiefenech
1989–90: Union Sportive Hiefenech
1990–91: Union Sportive Hiefenech
1991–92: Etzella
1992–93: Résidence
1993–94: Résidence
1994–95: Résidence
1995–96: Union Sportive Hiefenech
1996–97: Résidence
1997–98: Racing Luxembourg
1998–99: Etzella
1999–00: Racing Luxembourg
2000–01: Contern
2001–02: AS Soleuvre|Soleuvre
2002–03: Etzella
2003–04: Contern
2004–05: Sparta Bertrange
2005–06: Etzella
2006–07: Sparta Bertrange
2007–08: Sparta Bertrange
2008–09: Contern
2009–10: T71 Dudelange
2010–11: T71 Dudelange
2011–12: Sparta Bertrange
2012–13: T71 Dudelange
2013–14: T71 Dudelange
2014–15: T71 Dudelange
2015–16: Amicale Steesel
2016–17: Amicale Steesel
2017–18: Amicale Steesel
2018–19: Etzella
2019–20: None
2020–21: T71 Dudelange
2021–22: Amicale Steesel
2022–23: Esch
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