2018–19 ABA League First Division
The 2018–19 ABA League First Division is the 18th season of the ABA League with 12 teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia participating in it. It is the first time since the 2011–12 season that there are no participants from North Macedonia.
Format changes
On March 13, 2018, the Adriatic League Assembly decided to abolish the National standings and, as of the 2018–19 season, participants are determined only based on the results in the competitions under the umbrella of the Adriatic League. Promotion and relegation will now be based on the First and Second Division. The last place team in the First Division is relegated to the Second Division, while the winner of the Second Division is promoted. Also, as of the 2018–19 season, the 11th placed team of the 2018–19 First Division season and the runners-up of the 2018–19 Second Division season will play in a Relegation Playoff for a spot in the 2019–20 First Division season. The format of the Qualifiers will be best of three, while the home court advantage will be given to the team that played in the First Division in the previous season.The maximum number of clubs from one country in the First Division is five. The last placed club in the First Division will have a guaranteed place in the Second Division in the following season. The confirmed competition system shall not be changed until the end of the 2024–25 season, if there are no significant changes in the European basketball by then.
Teams
Promotion and relegation
A total of 12 teams will contest the league, including 11 sides from the 2017–18 season and one promoted from the 2017–18 Second Division.;Team promoted from Second Division
;Team relegated to Second Division
- MZT Skopje Aerodrom
Venues and locations
Team | Home city | Arena | Capacity |
Budućnost VOLI | Podgorica | Morača Sports Center | |
Cedevita | Zagreb | Dom sportova | |
Cibona | Zagreb | Dražen Petrović Hall | |
Crvena zvezda mts | Belgrade | Aleksandar Nikolić Hall | |
FMP | Belgrade | Železnik Hall | |
Igokea | Aleksandrovac | Laktaši Sports Hall | |
Krka | Novo Mesto | Leon Štukelj Hall | |
Mega Bemax | Sremska Mitrovica | Pinki Sports Hall | |
Mornar | Bar | Topolica Sport Hall | |
Partizan NIS | Belgrade | Aleksandar Nikolić Hall | |
Petrol Olimpija | Ljubljana | Arena Stožice | |
Zadar | Zadar | Krešimir Ćosić Hall |
Personnel and sponsorship
Coaching changes
Regular season
The season began on September 28, 2018. The regular season ended on March 17, 2019.League table
Positions by round
Results
Playoffs
The semi-finals will be played in a best-of-three format, while the Finals were played in a best-of-five format. Playoffs will begin on 23 March 2019 and planned to end by 22 April 2019.Bracket
2018–19 ABA League Champions |
Crvena zvezda mts 4th title |
Semifinals
Finals
Relegation playoffs
As of the 2018–19 season, the 11th placed team of the 2018–19 First Division season and the runners-up of the 2018–19 Second Division season will play in the Qualifiers for a spot in the 2019–20 First Division season.As the team coming from the ABA League, Zadar had the home court advantage in the first and third game of the series, while MZT was the host of the second game of the Qualifiers series. Zadar won the series 2−1 and kept its First League status.
Teams
- First Division 11th place: Zadar
- Second Division 2nd place: MZT Skopje Aerodrom
Results
Statistical leaders
PIR">Performance Index Rating">PIR
Points
Rebounds
Assists
Awards
MVP List
MVP of the Round
Round | Player | Team | Performance Index Rating| |
1 | Dragan Apić | FMP | 40 |
2 | Sava Lešić | Igokea | 30 |
3 | Nemanja Vranješ | Mornar | 33 |
4 | Uroš Luković | Mornar | 31 |
5 | Luka Božić | Zadar | 36 |
6 | Luka Božić | Zadar | 33 |
7 | Stefan Pot | FMP | 39 |
8 | Luka Božić | Zadar | 36 |
9 | Jacob Pullen | Cedevita | 43 |
10 | Vanja Marinković | Partizan | 32 |
11 | Marko Ljubičić | Cibona | 30 |
12 | Dragan Apić | FMP | 34 |
13 | Dragan Apić | FMP | 42 |
14 | Luka Božić | Zadar | 25 |
15 | Elgin Cook | Cedevita | 32 |
16 | Filip Bundović | Cibona | 29 |
17 | Nemanja Vranješ | Mornar | 29 |
18 | Stefan Pot | FMP | 35 |
19 | Luka Ašćerić | Mega Bemax | 35 |
20 | Dominik Mavra | Krka | 37 |
21 | Goga Bitadze | Budućnost VOLI | 31 |
22 | Danilo Anđušić | Igokea | 30 |
SF1 | Dejan Davidovac | Crvena zvezda mts | 26 |
SF2 | Vanja Marinković | Partizan | 22 |
SF3 | Nemanja Gordić | Budućnost VOLI | 16 |
F1 | Billy Baron | Crvena zvezda mts | 27 |
F2 | K. C. Rivers | Crvena zvezda mts | 20 |
F3 | Norris Cole | Budućnost VOLI | 20 |
F4 | Norris Cole | Budućnost VOLI | 36 |
F5 | K. C. Rivers | Crvena zvezda mts | 21 |
Source: