# Naisten Korisliiga

Naisten Korisliiga (Women's Basketball League) is the highest tier of women's basketball in Finland. The competition was formerly known as Koripallon naisten SM-sarja (Women's Basketball Finnish Championship) and was renamed Naisten Korisliiga for the 2013-14 season.

## History

Women's Finnish Championship was first introduced in 1944. The first championship was won by Helsingin Tarmo. In the 1940s, the league had six teams and the title was awarded after the regular season. In 1953 the number of teams was raised to ten. Postseason playoffs were first played in the 1973-74 season, with Nokian Urheilijat emerging victorious after defeating first Tapiolan Honka (2-1) in the Semifinals and then Työväen Mailapojat (2-1) in the Finals.
For the 2014-15 season, the league has 10 teams and each team plays each other three times in the regular season, resulting in 27 games per team. The top 8 teams continue to postseason playoffs which are played in Best-of-five format. The team placed last after the regular season is relegated to Naisten I Divisioona (English: Women's First Division).
Lea Hakala could be seen as the most influential player so far in the history of Naisten Korisliiga. Hakala played 25 seasons in the league and currently leads the record for career points. She has won the championship title for record-breaking 15 times and she has also been awarded the Player of the Year Award for 4 times.

## Current teams

Teams competing in the 2019–20 Naisten Korisliiga season:
* Catz Lappeenranta, Lappeenranta
* Espoo Basket Team (EBT), Espoo
* Forssan Alku (FoA), Forssa
* HBA-Märsky, Helsinki
* Hyvinkään Ponteva (HyPo), Hyvinkää
* Kouvottaret, Kouvola
* Peli-Karhut (PeKa), Kotka
* Tapiolan Honka, Espoo
* Torpan Pojat (ToPo), Helsinki
* Vimpelin Veto (ViVe), Vimpeli

## Recent champions

| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Score | Third place |
| 2018-19 | Peli-Karhut | Catz Lappeenranta | 3-2 | Hyvinkään Ponteva |
| 2017-18 | Peli-Karhut | Catz Lappeenranta | 3-2 | Hyvinkään Ponteva |
| 2016-17 | Hyvinkään Ponteva | Espoo United | 3-1 | Catz Lappeenranta |
| 2015-16 | Catz Lappeenranta | Hyvinkään Ponteva | 3-0 | Äänekosken Huima |
| 2014-15 | Catz Lappeenranta | Äänekosken Huima | 3-0 | Torpan Pojat |
| 2013-14 | Catz Lappeenranta | Peli-Karhut | 3-1 | Torpan Pojat |
| 2012-13 | Catz Lappeenranta | Peli-Karhut | 3-0 | Tapiolan Honka |
| 2011–12 | Catz Lappeenranta | Äänekosken Huima | 3–2 | Peli-Karhut |
| 2010-11 | Peli-Karhut | Catz Lappeenranta | 3–1 | Espoo Team |
| 2009-10 | Catz Lappeenranta | Peli-Karhut | 3–0 | Espoo Team |
| 2008-09 | Espoo Team | Catz Lappeenranta | 3–1 | Peli-Karhut |
| 2007-08 | Peli-Karhut | Catz Lappeenranta | 3–1 | Helsingin NMKY |
| 2006-07 | Peli-Karhut | Catz Lappeenranta | 3–2 | Äänekosken Huima |
| 2005-06 | Pantterit | Äänekosken Huima | 3–2 | BC Nokia |
| 2004-05 | BC Nokia | Pantterit | 3–1 | Peli-Karhut |

## List of champions

| Team | Titles | Season |
| Nokian Urheilijat | 8 | 1971-72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980-81 |
| Tampereen Pyrintö | 8 | 1950, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86 |
| Sampo Basket | 8 | 1965-66, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987-88 |
| Forssan Alku | 8 | 1988-89, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998-99 |
| Helsingin Työväen Uimarit | 6 | 1960, 1961, 1962, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65 |
| Pantterit | 5 | 1999-00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06 |
| Peli-Karhut | 5 | 2006-07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2017–18, 2018–19 |
| Catz Lappeenranta | 4 | 2009-10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013-14 |
| Eiran Kisa-Veikot | 3 | 1945, 1946, 1949 |
| Helsingin Tarmo | 3 | 1944, 1948, 1954 |
| Helsingin Visa | 2 | 1956, 1959 |
| Jyväskylän Kiri | 2 | 1970-71, 1972–73 |
| Pussihukat | 2 | 1990-91, 1991–92 |
| Porin Veto | 1 | 1951 |
| Lahden Koripalloilijat | 1 | 1952 |
| Helsingin Kisa-Toverit | 1 | 1966-67 |
| Työväen Maila-Pojat | 1 | 1967-68 |
| Turun Riento | 1 | 1989-90 |
| Äänekosken Huima | 1 | 2002-03 |
| BC Nokia | 1 | 2004-05 |
| Espoo Team | 1 | 2008-09 |

## Records
### Career

At least 100 or more games played in the league
* Most points: 11563
** Lea Hakala
* Highest points per game average: 19.23
** Heli Roukanoja
* Most assists: 1179
** Kenya Robinson
* Highest assists per game average: 3.26
** Reetta Piipari
* Most rebounds: 6578
** Kenya Robinson
* Highest rebounds per game average: 12.46
** Kenya Robinson
* Highest efficiency: 12294
** Kenya Robinson
* Highest efficiency per game average: 31.15
** Anna Hollos

### Season

Has played in at least 50% of the season's games
* Most points: 911
** Melissa Jeltema (Tapiolan Honka), 2012–13
* Highest points per game average: 26.47
** Medina Turner (Äänekosken Huima), 1996–97
* Most assists: 172
** Reetta Piipari (Peli-Karhut), 2013–14
* Highest assists per game average: 6.15
** Nikki Speed, (HoNsU), 2013–14
* Most rebounds: 575
** Shauna Tubbs (Äänekosken Huima), 1997–98
* Highest rebounds per game average: 17.14
** Sarah Zawodny (Forssan Alku), 2002–03
* Highest efficiency: 1290
** Keisha Johnson (Tampereen Pyrintö), 1994–95
* Highest efficiency per game average: 36.95
** Jennie Hall (Nokian Urheilijat), 1983–84

### Match

* Most points: 53
** Nina Pajanti-Raudus (Forssan Alku), vs. Peli-Karhut (121-82), 10-21-1995
* Most assists: 16
** Erja Laaksonen (HNMKY), vs. Tapiolan Honka, (83-73), 10-24-1999
* Most rebounds: 32
** Oberon Pitterson (Tampereen Pyrintö), vs. Äänekosken Huima (78-58), 10-12-1996
* Highest efficiency: 67
** Oberon Pitterson (Tampereen Pyrintö), vs. Äänekosken Huima (78-58), 10-12-1996
All records include both regular season and playoffs. Updated as of season 2013-14