# Conference Basketball League

The Conference Basketball League (CBL) was a second-tier men's semi-professional basketball league in New Zealand. During the 1980s and 1990s, the CBL was a second-tier league beneath the National Basketball League (NBL), with promotion and relegation between the two leagues. By the 2000s, the system of promotion and relegation was scrapped, and the league was instead contested by provincial representative teams. During this era, NBL clubs also entered academy teams into the league, and the CBL also served as a development league for NBL teams.

## History

The Conference Basketball League (CBL) ran every year between 1981 and 2008, and consisted of multiple conferences throughout its lifetime, including northern, capital, central, and southern. From seven teams in 1996, the CBL grew to 25 teams spread over four conferences in 1999. The challenges facing the league by the late 2000s were similar to the national women's league, namely finding a format that teams could economically support. Basketball New Zealand chose not to host the CBL in 2009, before bringing it back in a one-off, five-day tournament in 2010.

## League results

| Conference Basketball League Finals Results ||||
| Year | Result | Year | Result |
| 1981 | 1. Otago 2. New Plymouth | 1996 | 1. Waitakere Rangers 2. Pony Hibiscus Flash |
| 1982 | Northern 1. Exchequer Saints (Wgtn) 2. Burroughs Karori (Wgtn) Invitation 1. Napier Sunhawks 2. Burroughs Karori (Wgtn) | 1997 | 1. North Otago Penguins 2. TransAlta Wellington |
| 1983 | Northern 1. Hamilton 2. New Plymouth Southern 1. Burroughs Karori (Wgtn) 2. Otago | 1998 | 1. Smokefree Southland Sharks 2. North Otago Penguins |
| 1984 | 1. Hertz New Plymouth 2. Palmerston North | 1999 | 1. North Otago Penguins 2. Masonic Hawks |
| 1985 | Northern 1. Truth North Shore 2. Waitemata Southern 1. 4ZB Otago 2. Wanganui Wolfpack | 2000 | 1. North Otago Penguins 2. Kaikoura Whale Riders |
| 1986 | Northern 1. Rotorua 2. Cable Price Whangarei Southern 1. Rheineck Wanganui 2. Speights Otago | 2001 | 1. Kaikoura Whale Riders 2. Wellington College Saints |
| 1987 | 1. Waitemata 2. Abbey Mazda Northland | 2002 | 1. Treehouse Taranaki Stormers 2. Kaikoura Whale Riders |
| 1988 | 1. U-Bix Palmerston North 2. Wainuiomata | 2003 | 1. Canterbury Knights 2. Hutt Valley |
| 1989 | 1. Hutt Valley Lakers 2. Ultimate Fitness Porirua | 2004 | 1. Counties Manukau Spartans 2. BJ's Hutt Valley |
| 1990 | 1. Governor's Wairarapa 2. Nelson Suns | 2005 | 1. Waikato Red 2. Hutt Valley |
| 1991 | 1. Mobil Marters Northland 2. DB Hawera Hornets | 2006 | 1. Waikato Titans 2. Waitakere Rangers |
| 1992 | 1. DB Royals New Plymouth 2. Mobil Marters Northland | 2007 | 1. Waikato Titans 2. Porirua |
| 1993 | 1. 96 FM Rotorua Runnin' Rebels 2. Checkers Canterbury | 2008 | 1. Wellington Saints 2. Waikato Titans |
| 1994 | 1. Mobil Marters Northland 2. Quality Hotel Rotorua Runnin' Rebels | 2009 | No League |
| 1995 | 1. Smokefree Southland Sharks 2. Quality Hotel Rotorua Runnin' Rebels | 2010 | 1. Hutt Valley 2. Porirua |

## CBL Zone 1

In 2009, North Harbour Basketball Association took on the responsibility of hosting the Conference Basketball League in the Auckland Region. The competition was predominantly run on the North Shore and was a zone 1 competition. The league was rebranded as the Supercity Basketball Competition in 2010, and then as the Senior Intercity Competition in 2011 and 2012, although it was still colloquially known during this time as the Conference Basketball League.

### Results

| Year | Result |
| 2009 | 1. Harbour Heat Reserves 2. AUT |
| 2010 | 1. Breakers Academy 2. Waitakere |
| 2011 | 1. Waitakere West 2. Harbour Heat Reserves |
| 2012 | 1. Waitakere West 2. Northland Suns |