The Premier League (formerly the Superleague) is the top tier men's basketball league in Ireland, with ten clubs competing in the competition. The current champions are UCC Demons who finished on top of the ladder in 2015–16. The final Superleague champions were the UL Eagles who won in 2012–13, as the league changed its name to Premier League for the 2013–14 season. Neptune hold the record for most championships, having won the competition 11 times.[1]
In July 2015, Basketball Ireland announced their decision to enter a team into the newly established FIBA Europe Cup for the 2015–16 edition. The subsequent team entered, Hibernia, was created with the sole purpose of playing in European competitions, with the team's roster filled with Premier League players.[2]
Current teams
Past champions
From 2003–04 to 2011–12, the league was split up into North and South Conferences and the league champion was determined by the team who made it through to and won the grand final. Prior to 2003–04, the league champion was determined by the team won finished on top of the ladder and the runner-up was who finished second on the ladder. An exception is the 2001–02 season, where Waterford Crystal were crowned league champions after finishing first on the ladder despite the league holding a post-season tournament that the Tralee Tigers (finished second on the season) won over Killester (finished fourth on the season) in the final.[3]
In 2012–13, the league reverted to the old model and removed conferences, re-establishing league champions as the top of the ladder finishers, and established a Champions Trophy tournament for the final two weeks of the season to act as a playoff tournament (similar to the 2001–02 season). From 2012–13 onwards, the team who finishes on top of the ladder is crowned league champion, while for the final two weeks of the season, the top four teams battle it out for the Champions Trophy.[4]
In July 2015, 11-time league champions, Neptune Cork, withdrew from the 2015–16 season following a major loss of player personnel, deciding instead to join the National League Division 1.[5]
|
|
| Club |
Championships |
Championship winning years |
| Neptune |
11 |
1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003 |
| Killester |
8 |
1975, 1976, 1977, 2001, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014 |
| UCC Demons |
8 |
1974, 1981, 1984, 1989, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2016 |
| DCU Saints |
4 |
1979, 1980, 1994, 2006 |
| Tralee Tigers |
3 |
1996, 2004, 2008 |
| UL Eagles |
2 |
2012, 2013 |
| Belfast Star |
2 |
1998, 1999 |
| UCD Marian |
1 |
1978 |
| Killarney |
1 |
1982 |
| Ballina |
1 |
1992 |
| North Monastery |
1 |
1993 |
| Waterford Crystal |
1 |
2002 |
| Club |
National Cup Championships |
Championship winning years |
| UCC Demons |
7 |
1986, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2015 |
| Neptune |
5 |
1985, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2013 |
| Killester |
4 |
1987, 2001, 2008, 2010 |
| Notre Dame |
4 |
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 |
| DCU Saints |
3 |
1984, 1993, 1994 |
| Tralee Tigers |
2 |
2005, 2007 |
| UL Eagles |
2 |
2002, 2012 |
| Ballina |
2 |
1991, 1996 |
| Corinthian |
1 |
1989 |
| North Monastery |
1 |
1995 |
| UCD Marian |
1 |
2011 |
| Templeogue |
1 |
2016 |
| Club |
Champions Trophy Championships |
Championship winning years |
| UCC Demons |
4 |
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
|
|
All-Star teams
On 26 March 2015, Basketball Ireland announced the Premier League's inaugural All-Star awards. The All-Star picks compose of three teams, each with five roster spots. The First Team is selected with regard to position; players are listed according to position in the following descending order: two guards, two forwards and one center.[6][7]
See also
References
External links
2015–16 Irish Premier League season
