The Liga Española de Baloncesto (English: Spanish Basketball League), whose top division was known as Primera División (English: First Division), was the old 1st Tier level basketball league in Spain, from 1957 to the 1982–83 season. It was organized by the Spanish Basketball Federation, and it was contested by the best clubs of the country. In 1983, the clubs decided to create the Basketball Clubs Association, and transformed the top division into the new Liga ACB, although that league was also named Primera División until 1988.
Format The league was played in a double round-robin format without playoffs. Two points were conceded for a winning game, one for a draw, and no points for the loser. The worst teams of each season were relegated to the second division (Segunda División, called Primera División B since 1978). The winner of the league qualified for the FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague).
History The league was created in 1957 with the aim of publicising the basketball in Spain. In its first edition composed by six teams, two from Madrid (Real Madrid and Estudiantes) and four from the province of Barcelona (Barcelona, Joventut Badalona, Aismalíbar from Montcada i Reixac and Orillo Verde from Sabadell), and played with a double round-robin format. The league was played in 49 days at only two venues: Frontón Vista Alegre in Madrid and Palacio de Deportes de Montjuic in Barcelona.
Two years later, teams from other regions first entered in the league.
Winners Season Champion Runner-up1957 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1958 Real Madrid Joventut1958–59 FC Barcelona Real Madrid1959–60 Real Madrid Joventut1960–61 Real Madrid Orillo Verde1961–62 Real Madrid Joventut1962–63 Real Madrid Estudiantes1963–64 Real Madrid Picadero JC1964–65 Real Madrid Picadero JC1965–66 Real Madrid Picadero JC1966–67 Joventut Real Madrid1967–68 Real Madrid Estudiantes1968–69 Real Madrid Joventut1969–70 Real Madrid Picadero JC Season Champion Runner-up1970–71 Real Madrid Joventut1971–72 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1972–73 Real Madrid Joventut1973–74 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1974–75 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1975–76 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1976–77 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1977–78 Joventut Real Madrid1978–79 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1979–80 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1980–81 FC Barcelona Estudiantes1981–82 Real Madrid FC Barcelona1982–83 FC Barcelona Real Madrid SourceHistóricos Liga Nacional; ACB.com
Titles Team Winners Runners-up Real Madrid FC Barcelona Joventut Picadero JC Estudiantes Orillo Verde
Liga Nacional Primera División Top Scorers by season
SeasonTop ScorerClubScoring Average / Total Points 1957 Alfonso Martínez Real Madrid 18.0 1958 Alfonso Martínez (2) Real Madrid 17.2 1958–59 Johnny Báez Real Madrid 19.9 1959–60 Alfonso Martínez (average) (3) Johnny Báez (total points) (2) Barcelona Real Madrid 20.2 439 points 1960–61 Francisco Llobet Orillo Verde 20.4 1961–62 Wayne Hightower Real Madrid 19.7 1962–63 Emiliano Rodríguez Real Madrid 19.9 1963–64 Emiliano Rodríguez (2) Real Madrid 22.7 1964–65 Lorenzo Alocén Helios 24.2 1965–66 Miles Aiken Águilas 23.9 1966–67 Alfonso Martínez (4) Joventut Badalona 22.1 1967–68 Clifford Luyk Real Madrid 24.3 1968–69 Charles Thomas San José Irpen 25.6 1969–70 Charles Thomas (2) San José Irpen 24.1 1970–71 Alfredo Pérez Gómez Breogán 27.1 1971–72 Gonzalo Sagi-Vela Estudiantes 21.6 1972–73 Alfredo Pérez Gómez (2) Breogán 23.2 1973–74 John Coughran YMCA 31.7 1974–75 Ray Price Baskonia 32.2 1975–76 Walter Szczerbiak (average) Bob Fullarton (total points) Real Madrid Breogán 30.9 968 points 1976–77 Bob Guyette Barcelona 32.0 1977–78 Essie Hollis Askatuak 41.0 1978–79 Nate Davis (average) Webb Williams (total points) Askatuak Baskonia 34.5 730 points 1979–80 Nate Davis (2) Valladolid 29.7 1980–81 Lars Hansen OAR Ferrol 27.4 1981–82 Larry McNeill Canarias 34.4 1982–83 Claude Gregory Baskonia 30.6
See also Liga ACB Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto Basketball in Spain Primera FEB
References