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 (First Division and Second Division). 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 Krka
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 Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Budućnost VOLI Jasmin Repeša Suad Šehović Spalding VOLI / Tea Medica Cedevita Slaven Rimac Andrija Stipanović Adidas Cedevita / INA Cibona Ivan Velić Marin Rozić Visual Erste Bank Crvena zvezda mts Milan Tomić Branko Lazić Nike mts FMP Vladimir Jovanović Radoš Šešlija Champion FMP Igokea Dragan Nikolić Vuk Radivojević GBT m:tel Krka Simon Petrov Domen Bratož Žolna šport Krka Mega Bemax Dejan Milojević Ognjen Čarapić Adidas Bemax / Tehnomanija Mornar Mihailo Pavićević Marko Mijović Armani epcg Partizan NIS Andrea Trinchieri Novica Veličković Under Armour NIS / mts Petrol Olimpija Jure Zdovc Gregor Hrovat Peak Petrol Zadar Ante Nazor Šime Špralja Visual OTP Bank / Crodux
Coaching changes Team Outgoing manager Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced with Date of appointment Ref. Igokea Dragan Bajić 2 April 2018 Off-season Žarko Milaković 2 April 2018 Crvena zvezda mts Dušan Alimpijević 8 May 2018 Milenko Topić 8 May 2018 Cedevita Jure Zdovc 6 June 2018 Sito Alonso 8 June 2018 Cibona Ante Nazor 6 June 2018 Ivan Velić 8 June 2018 Zadar Aramis Naglić 21 June 2018 Aleš Pipan 28 June 2018 Crvena zvezda mts Milenko Topić July 2018 Milan Tomić 13 July 2018 Igokea Žarko Milaković July 2018 Nenad Trajković 14 July 2018 Zadar Aleš Pipan 23 October 2018 12th (0–4) Ante Nazor 23 October 2018 Cedevita Sito Alonso 25 October 2018 9th (1–3) Slaven Rimac 25 October 2018 Partizan NIS Nenad Čanak 26 October 2018 7th (2–3) Andrea Trinchieri 1 November 2018 Igokea Nenad Trajković 5 November 2018 9th (2–4) Žarko Milaković 5 November 2018 Petrol Olimpija Zoran Martič 19 November 2018 11th (2–6) Saša Nikitović 19 November 2018 Igokea Žarko Milaković 24 December 2018 10th (4–8) Dragan Nikolić 24 December 2018 Budućnost VOLI Aleksandar Džikić 29 December 2018 3rd (8–4) Jasmin Repeša 30 December 2018 Petrol Olimpija Saša Nikitović 19 February 2019 10th (6–13) Jure Zdovc 19 February 2019
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 ChampionsCrvena zvezda mts4th 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
| width=50% valign=top |
Points
Rebounds
| width=50% valign=top |
Assists
Source: ABA League
Awards PlayerTeam MVP C Goga Bitadze Budućnost VOLI Finals MVP SG Billy Baron Crvena zvezda mts Top Prospect C Goga Bitadze Budućnost VOLI Ideal Starting FivePG Joe Ragland Crvena zvezda mts SG Jacob Pullen Cedevita SF Stratos Perperoglou Crvena zvezda mts PF Jock Landale Partizan NIS C Goga Bitadze Budućnost VOLI
MVP List MVP of the Round
Round Player Team 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 (2) Zadar 33 7 Stefan Pot FMP 39 8 Luka Božić (3) Zadar 36 9 Jacob Pullen Cedevita 43 10 Vanja Marinković Partizan 32 11 Marko Ljubičić Cibona 30 12 Dragan Apić (2) FMP 34 13 Dragan Apić (3) FMP 42 14 Luka Božić (4) Zadar 25 15 Elgin Cook Cedevita 32 16 Filip Bundović Cibona 29 17 Nemanja Vranješ (2) Mornar 29 18 Stefan Pot (2) 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 (2) 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 (2) Budućnost VOLI 36 F5 K. C. Rivers (2) Crvena zvezda mts 21 Source: ABA League
MVP of the Month Month Player Team 2018 October Goga Bitadze Mega BemaxMVP of October: Goga Bitadze (Mega Bemax)November Dragan Apić FMPMVP of November: Dragan Apić (FMP)December Dragan Apić (2) FMP 2019 January Marcus Paige Partizan February Stefan Pot FMP
Attendances Attendances include playoff games:
Clubs in European competitions Competition Team Progress Result EuroLeague Budućnost VOLI Regular season 15th (6–24) EuroCup Partizan NIS Top 16 Group E (1) 4th (2–4) Crvena zvezda mts Top 16 Group G (1) 3rd (2–4) Cedevita Top 16 Group H (1) 4th (0–6) Mornar Regular season Group D 5th (2–8) Champions League Petrol Olimpija Regular season Group D8th (1–13)
See also List of current ABA League First Division team rosters 2018–19 ABA League Second Division 2018 ABA League Supercup 2018–19 Junior ABA League 2018–19 WABA League
2018–19 domestic competitions 2018–19 Basketball League of Serbia 2018–19 Premijer liga 2018–19 Slovenian Basketball League 2018–19 Prva A liga 2018–19 Basketball Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Teams 2018–19 KK Crvena zvezda season 2018–19 KK Partizan season
References
External links Official website ABA League at Eurobasket.com