The Luxembourg Basketball League (LBBL) will return this Friday-evening with the game Sparta – Arantia (men) and Contern – Esch (women). After weeks of preparation, the real games will finally start.
MEN’S LBBL
12 teams are part of the league, all teams will meet each other twice in the regular season before the play-offs will start with a new system (picture):
While the top 8 teams will try to enter the finals, the bottom 4 teams will have to fight against relegation – a very difficult challenge as 3 teams could relegate to the second league. After the play-down where the bottom 4 teams have played against each other twice, the last 2 teams will relegate to the second league while the 3rd last placed team will play a difficult series (best-of-5) against the 3rd best team from the National 2.
Let’s take a look at the teams and their expectations in the upcoming season. Just like last season, a lot of teams are playing on a similar level:
1. T71 Dudelange
The defending champion has entered a rebuild-modus after their club-legends Tom Schumacher and Frank Muller ended their career. However, the club managed to add 3 players that will immediately help: Philippe Arendt (Sparta), Joe Kalmes (Musel Pikes) and Christopher Jack (Bascharage). Therefore, the team from Dudelange has the potential to play for the title(s) once again. New coach Denis Toroman has a deep roster while their key role players from the past seasons, Kevin Moura and Jo Hoeser could become the main JICL players this year.
2. Basket Esch
After losing the finals last season, Esch is making another run at the title with a similar roster. Coach Mériguet returned to his former club and the team around the Biever-brothers has the quality and the expectations to attack and bring a title to Esch.
3. Etzella Ettelbruck
Etzella is entering every season with high expectations. For the first time in a long time, there will be no Delgado on the court for the club as Ivan became a professional playwer in Iceland and Jairo ended his career. Philippe Gutenkauf is one of the top JICL players in the country and his leadership will be needed in Ettelbruck to make a deep play-off run at the end of the season.
4. Résidence Walfer
After a surprisingly strong last season, Résidence will try to be a top team in the LBBL once again. Coach Kreps will have to replace Tom Konen, who played a big role last season. On paper, the team has a strong roster with Robert-Francois, Gindt and Malcolm Kreps as key JICL players. Because confirming a good season is always very difficult, Résidence is facing a tough challenge this season.
5. AB Contern
Coach Love and his team were another positive surprise last season, especially after the team reached the top 6 without the injured Raul Birenbaum. The play-offs are clearly a goal in Contern, a team that has kept its strong inside player Frink for another season. Just a week ago, professional player Stewart left the team and he was replaced by Devon Thomas.
6. Arantia Larochette
After a strong season, Arantia’s roster has not changed a lot. Coach Ney as well as both professional players stayed on board so that the team can show that continuity is key. While their play-off run was a positive surprise last season, the expectations might be a little higher this year and the play-offs are a reasonable goal in Larochette.
7. Racing Luxembourg
A new coach (Amadeo Dias), new professional players and players leaving or retiring have given the team a new face for this upcoming season.
8. US Heffingen
Heffingen had one the most surprising additions this off-season by acquiring 2.13 m tall Lou Demuth. Together with 2 new professional players, the team around captain Max Schmit will try to play an interesting role.
9. Musel Pikes
The Musel Pikes lost a key player in Joe Kalmes (T71) and did not add a JICL player to their team. Coach Dieckelman enters his second season with the club, a season that could become a challenging one in Stadtbredimus with a roster that is not that deep on paper.
10. Amicale Steinsel
With the return of Bob Melcher and the addition of another national team player in Tom Konen, Amicale has improved the roster during off-season which also raises the expectations. 2 new professional players have joined the team of coach Etienne Louvrier as some young players will try to continue to improve in Steinsel.
11. Sparta Bertrange
After playing without professional players last season, Sparta is ready to make a jump in the standings and attack the top teams. Coach Chris Wulff and the club added 2 professional players that know basketball in Luxembourg very well and the young players received a lot of playing time and gained experience last season so that it will be interesting to see how strong the team can be this season.
12. Telstar Hesper
The team was not competitive last season playing without a professional player. This will change this year as coach Gabor Boros has a complete roster to fight against relegation from the start. The team has not changed a lot, both professional players were there before so that this could be an advantage, especially to start the season.
WOMEN’S LBBL
10 teams are part of the women’s league, the modus is slightly different than in the men’s league. After the regular season, the top 8 teams will face each other once more time before the play-offs start while the bottom 2 teams will play against the two best teams from the National 2.
Let’s take a look at the teams and their expectations in the upcoming season:
1. T71 Dudelange
The champion lost 2 key players (Michèle Orban and Estelle Muller) but also added national team player Michelle Dittgen so that the quality in the roster is still very high and Dudelange should be considered one of the top favorites in this year’s competition.
2. Résidence Walfer
After a surprising season with a finals appearence, Résidence wants to confirm this good performance with a new head coach and make some noise on top of the standings. the loss of Sofie Olsen and Morgane Scaillet have been compensated by adding Emily Leid from Sparta.
3. BBC Gréngewald
Gréngewald is the only team from Luxembourg that will compete in an international competition this season. After a disappointing ending to last season (loss in the play-in game), the « greens » can also be considered one of the favorites in this year’s championship competition.
4. Musel Pikes
The coach and both professional players stayed with the club, the team knows each other well and the Musel Pikes are definitely a team to watch with JICL MVP Cathy Schmit as the head of the team.
5. Amicale Steinsel
After a very disappointing end to the season (Amicale was not able to compete in the semi-finals because of the Covid-19-virus), the team around Esmeralda Skrijelj is ready to attack.
6. AB Contern
Contern lost 2 key players (Mangen and Sand) but also added Petrova and Kauffmann from Ettelbruck so that the team of coach Fabienne Fuger is very competitive. Just like for many other teams, it is difficult to predict how strong the team will be, everything is possible.
7. Basket Esch
Coach Vincent Gevrey will enter another season with the club and the team around Liktharovich will look to play a bigger role than last season.
8. Sparta Bertrange
After playing without professional players, Sparta will be a totally different team this season. In a league that is very balanced overall, everything will be possible with the right chemistry.
9. Etzella
No team has changed this much this off-season. A total of 9 players left the club and now the team will play with 3 professional players and try to be competitive.
10. BBC Wiltz
The newcomer in the league from the North wants to show that the team is capable of competing on the highest national level. The team of coach Paul Missavage can play without pressure.
