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.
List of champions Season Regular season champion Finals champion Series Runner-up2007–08Aisin SeaHorsesAisin SeaHorses3–2Toyota Alvark2008–09Aisin SeaHorsesAisin SeaHorses3–1Hitachi SunRockers2009–10Aisin SeaHorsesLink Tochigi Brex3–0Aisin SeaHorses2010–11Aisin SeaHorsesNo winner (league discontinued due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami)2011–12Aisin SeaHorsesToyota Alvark3–1Aisin SeaHorses2012–13Aisin SeaHorsesAisin SeaHorses3–2Toshiba Brave Thunders
Award winners Regular season MVP
Season MVP Team2007–08 Shinsuke KashiwagiAisin SeaHorses2008–09 Kosuke TakeuchiAisin SeaHorses2009–10 Kosuke Takeuchi (2×)Aisin SeaHorses2010–11 J. R. SakuragiAisin SeaHorses2011–12 J. R. Sakuragi (2×)Aisin SeaHorses2012–13 J. R. Sakuragi (3×)Aisin SeaHorses
Finals MVP Season MVP Team2007–08 Shinsuke KashiwagiAisin SeaHorses2008–09 Kosuke TakeuchiAisin SeaHorses2009–10 Yuta TabuseLink Tochigi Brex2010–11No winner (playoffs not played)2011–12 Philip RicciToyota Alvark2012–13 J. R. SakuragiAisin SeaHorses
Statistical leaders Top scorers
Season Player Team2007–08 Marquis EstillOSG Phoenix24.92008–09 Takuya KawamuraLink Tochigi Brex20.42009–10 Takuya Kawamura (2×)Link Tochigi Brex20.52010–11 Takuya Kawamura (3×)Link Tochigi Brex19.32011–12 Takuya Kawamura (4×)Link Tochigi Brex20.42012–13 Nick FazekasToshiba Brave Thunders21.6
Rebounding leaders Season Player Team2007–08 Marquis EstillOSG Phoenix16.02008–09 Cory VioletteToshiba Brave Thunders11.02009–10 Kosuke TakeuchiAisin SeaHorses11.42010–11 Joji TakeuchiHitachi SunRockers12.22011–12 J. R. SakuragiAisin SeaHorses12.02012–13 J. R. Sakuragi (2×)Aisin SeaHorses12.5
Assists leaders Season Player Team2007–08 Cliff HawkinsOSG Phoenix7.52008–09 Yuta TabuseLink Tochigi Brex5.62009–10 Shinsuke KashiwagiAisin SeaHorses4.12010–11 J. R. SakuragiAisin SeaHorses3.92011–12 Takuya KawamuraLink Tochigi Brex4.52012–13 J. R. Sakuragi (2×)Aisin SeaHorses4.4
Steals leaders Season Player Team2007–08 Cliff HawkinsOSG Phoenix2.32008–09 Yuta TabuseLink Tochigi Brex2.32009–10 Toshihiro SatoHitachi SunRockers2.92010–11 Shinsuke KashiwagiAisin SeaHorses2.12011–12 Toshihiro Sato (2×)Hitachi SunRockers1.72012–13 Tomokazu AbeLevanga Hokkaido2.1
Blocks leaders Season Player Team2007–08 Kosuke TakeuchiAisin SeaHorses1.82008–09 Kosuke Takeuchi (2×)Aisin SeaHorses1.72009–10 Kosuke Takeuchi (3×)Aisin SeaHorses2.02010–11 Kosuke Takeuchi (4×)Aisin SeaHorses1.72011–12 Joji TakeuchiHitachi SunRockers1.52012–13 Jameel WatkinsPanasonic Trians2.1
Clubs
The teams that played in JBL's last season in 2012–13 were:
JBL Aisin SeaHorses Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins Levanga Hokkaido Toyota Alvark Hitachi SunRockers Toshiba Brave Thunders Panasonic Trians Link Tochigi Brex
JBL2 Hitachi Cable Bulldogs Big Blue Tokyo Kuroda Electric Bullet Spirits Ishikawa Blue Sparks Toyota Tsusho Fighting Eagles Aisin AW Areions Anjo Toyoda Gosei Scorpions Renova Kagoshima TGI D-Rise Hyogo Storks
References
External links Official JBL website Official JBL2 website