For the current top flight of Japanese basketball, see B.League.
Japan Basketball League
ConfedFIBA Asia (Asia)
Founded2007
First2007–08
Folded2013
Teams8
RelegationJBL2
Levels1
ChampionsAisin SeaHorses (4th title)
Most champsAisin SeaHorses (4)
Websitejbl.or.jp/ (Archived)

The Japan Basketball League (JBL) was a professional basketball league in Japan. It made up the top-tier of basketball in Japan alongside the bj league, Japan's other basketball competition, with no promotion and relegation between bj and the JBL.

The JBL was composed of two divisions, the JBL (Division 1, formerly JBL Super League) and the JBL2 (Division 2, formerly Japan League).

In June 2012, the Japan Basketball Association announced the establishment of the National Basketball League (NBL) as the topflight professional league in Japan. The 2012–13 season was the last JBL season as JBL teams joined the NBL.

History

The Japan Basketball League was formed after the JBL Super League, which was held from 2001 to 2007, was disbanded. The new Japan Basketball League started with the 2007–08 season with 7 teams of the JBL Super League (Aisin SeaHorses, Hitachi SunRockers, Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dolphins, OSG Phoenix, Panasonic Super Kangaroos, Toshiba Red Thunders, Toyota Alvark), and one team from another league, Rera Kamuy Hokkaido.[1][2]

List of champions

SeasonRegular season championFinals championSeriesRunner-up
2007–08[2]Aisin SeaHorsesAisin SeaHorses3–2Toyota Alvark
2008–09[3]Aisin SeaHorsesAisin SeaHorses3–1Hitachi SunRockers
2009–10[4]Aisin SeaHorsesLink Tochigi Brex3–0Aisin SeaHorses
2010–11[5]Aisin SeaHorsesNo winner (league discontinued due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami)
2011–12[6]Aisin SeaHorsesToyota Alvark3–1Aisin SeaHorses
2012–13[7]Aisin SeaHorsesAisin SeaHorses3–2Toshiba Brave Thunders

Award winners

Regular season MVP

SeasonMVPTeam
2007–08Shinsuke Kashiwagi[2]Aisin SeaHorses
2008–09Kosuke Takeuchi[3]Aisin SeaHorses
2009–10Kosuke Takeuchi[4] (2×)Aisin SeaHorses
2010–11J. R. Sakuragi[5]Aisin SeaHorses
2011–12J. R. Sakuragi[6] (2×)Aisin SeaHorses
2012–13J. R. Sakuragi[7] (3×)Aisin SeaHorses

Finals MVP

SeasonMVPTeam
2007–08Shinsuke Kashiwagi[2]Aisin SeaHorses
2008–09Kosuke Takeuchi[3]Aisin SeaHorses
2009–10Yuta Tabuse[4]Link Tochigi Brex
2010–11No winner (playoffs not played)[5]
2011–12Philip Ricci[6][8]Toyota Alvark
2012–13J. R. Sakuragi[7]Aisin SeaHorses

Statistical leaders

Top scorers

SeasonPlayerTeamPPG
2007–08Marquis Estill[2][9]OSG Phoenix24.9
2008–09Takuya Kawamura[3][10]Link Tochigi Brex20.4
2009–10Takuya Kawamura[11][12] (2×)Link Tochigi Brex20.5
2010–11Takuya Kawamura[5][13] (3×)Link Tochigi Brex19.3
2011–12Takuya Kawamura[6][14] (4×)Link Tochigi Brex20.4
2012–13Nick Fazekas[7][15]Toshiba Brave Thunders21.6

Rebounding leaders

SeasonPlayerTeamRPG
2007–08Marquis Estill[2][9]OSG Phoenix16.0
2008–09Cory Violette[16]Toshiba Brave Thunders11.0
2009–10Kosuke Takeuchi[11][12]Aisin SeaHorses11.4
2010–11Joji Takeuchi[5][13]Hitachi SunRockers12.2
2011–12J. R. Sakuragi[14][17]Aisin SeaHorses12.0
2012–13J. R. Sakuragi[7][15] (2×)Aisin SeaHorses12.5

Assists leaders

SeasonPlayerTeamAPG
2007–08Cliff Hawkins[2][9]OSG Phoenix7.5
2008–09Yuta Tabuse[10][16]Link Tochigi Brex5.6
2009–10Shinsuke Kashiwagi[11][12]Aisin SeaHorses4.1
2010–11J. R. Sakuragi[5][13]Aisin SeaHorses3.9
2011–12Takuya Kawamura[14][17]Link Tochigi Brex4.5
2012–13J. R. Sakuragi[7][15] (2×)Aisin SeaHorses4.4

Steals leaders

SeasonPlayerTeamSPG
2007–08Cliff Hawkins[2][9]OSG Phoenix2.3
2008–09Yuta Tabuse[10][16]Link Tochigi Brex2.3
2009–10Toshihiro Sato[4][11]Hitachi SunRockers2.9
2010–11Shinsuke Kashiwagi[13][18]Aisin SeaHorses2.1
2011–12Toshihiro Sato[14][17] (2×)Hitachi SunRockers1.7
2012–13Tomokazu Abe[7][15]Levanga Hokkaido2.1

Blocks leaders

SeasonPlayerTeamBPG
2007–08Kosuke Takeuchi[9]Aisin SeaHorses1.8
2008–09Kosuke Takeuchi[3][10] (2×)Aisin SeaHorses1.7
2009–10Kosuke Takeuchi[11][12] (3×)Aisin SeaHorses2.0
2010–11Kosuke Takeuchi[5][13] (4×)Aisin SeaHorses1.7
2011–12Joji Takeuchi[6][14]Hitachi SunRockers1.5
2012–13Jameel Watkins[7][15]Panasonic Trians2.1

Clubs

The teams that played in JBL's last season in 2012–13 were:[19]

JBL

JBL2

References

  1. ^ "JBL Superleague 2006-2007". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  2. ^ "Japan Basketball League 2007-2008". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  3. ^ "Japan Basketball League 2008-2009". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  4. ^ "Japan Basketball League 2009-2010". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  5. ^ "Japan Basketball League 2010-2011". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  6. ^ "Japan Basketball League 2011-2012". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  7. ^ "Japan Basketball League 2012-2013". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  8. ^ Nagatsuka, Kaz (April 23, 2012). "High-energy Alvark outplay Sea Horse, capture JBL championship". The Japan Times. Archived December 8, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  9. ^ "Ranking" (in Japanese). jbl.or.jp. Archived June 24, 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  10. ^ "JAPAN - B1 LEAGUE BASKETBALL (JAP-1) Leaders for 2008-2009 season". proballers.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  11. ^ "JAPAN - B1 LEAGUE BASKETBALL (JAP-1) Leaders for 2009-2010 season". proballers.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  12. ^ "Match Record / Leaders (JBL 2009-2010)" (in Japanese). jbl.or.jp. Archived March 31, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  13. ^ "JAPAN - B1 LEAGUE BASKETBALL (JAP-1) Leaders for 2010-2011 season". proballers.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  14. ^ "JAPAN - B1 LEAGUE BASKETBALL (JAP-1) Leaders for 2011-2012 season". proballers.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  15. ^ "JAPAN - B1 LEAGUE BASKETBALL (JAP-1) Leaders for 2012-2013 season". proballers.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  16. ^ "Leaders" (in Japanese). jbl.or.jp. Archived 2009-06-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  17. ^ "Leaders" (in Japanese). jbl.or.jp. Archived May 19, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  18. ^ "Leaders" (in Japanese). jbl.or.jp. Archived May 19, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  19. ^ "Schedule" (in Japanese). jbl.or.jp. Archived May 13, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 1, 2020.