# Liga Nacional de Baloncesto

The Liga Nacional de Baloncesto (LNB) is the top men's professional basketball league in the Dominican Republic. Established in 2005, six teams compete annually between September and October.

## History

The league was founded on September 6, 2004 at the Hotel Lina in Santo Domingo as the Liga Dominicana de Baloncesto (Dominican Basketball League), also known as LIDOBA; the founders were a group of investors and former basketball players, supported by the Dominican Basketball Federation. Before the creation of a national league, basketball was practiced at regional and local level.
The teams that participated in the first edition in 2005 were:
* Cañeros de La Romana
* Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís
* Constituyentes de San Cristóbal
* Indios de San Francisco de Macorís
* Marineros de Puerto Plata
* Metros de Santiago
* Panteras del Distrito Nacional
* Reales de La Vega
The first game was played on July 1, 2005 at the Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto between Panteras del Distrito Nacional and Indios de San Francisco de Macorís: Panteras won, 79–63. The first league champions were Reales de La Vega, that won the title after winning the best-of-7 championship series against Panteras, 4–2.
In 2009, the league was cancelled due to financial difficulties. On May 19, 2010 the league announced its return under a new branding and name, Liga Nacional de Baloncesto (National Basketball League).
From 2005 to 2017, the league had 8 teams participating every season. In 2018, Huracanes del Atlántico folded, and the league was played by 7 teams (3 in the North conference, and 4 in the Southeast conference). In 2019, Titanes del Distrito Nacional also folded, bringing the team number to 6.

## Teams
### Current teams

Teams participating in the 2021-22 season
* Cañeros del Este
* Huracanes del Atlántico
* Indios de San Francisco de Macorís
* Leones de Santo Domingo
* Metros de Santiago
* Reales de La Vega
* Soles de Santo Domingo Este
* Titanes del Licey

## Format
### Regular season

In the first season in 2005, all 8 teams competed in a round-robin tournament, where each team had to play against every other team. In 2006 two conferences were introduced: the Circuito Norte (North) and Circuito Sur (South), of 4 teams each. In 2010, with the league changing name to Liga Nacional de Baloncesto, the Sur conference was renamed Sureste (Southeast). In 2018, with the folding of Huracanes del Atlántico, the North conference included only 3 teams. In 2019 the team number was reduced to 6, and the league reintroduced the round-robin tournament, eliminating the conference system.

### Playoffs

In 2005, the first 4 teams at the end of the regular season qualified for the playoffs. With the introduction of two conferences (Circuitos) in 2006, the first 3 teams of each conference qualified for the playoffs. In 2011 this was changed, as only the first 2 teams qualified for the playoffs, thus eliminating the first round of the playoffs. The first two teams of each conference faced each other in the playoffs semifinals, and the championship game was played between the winners of the semifinal series. In 2016, the first 3 teams of each conference qualified for a further postseason round robin tournament, the winners of which qualified for the championship game. This was eliminated in 2018, with the folding of Huracanes del Atlántico, and the league resumed the original playoff format, reintroducing the semifinals.

## List of champions

| Season | Champion | Series | Runner-up |
| 2005 | Reales de La Vega | 4–2 | Panteras del Distrito Nacional |
| 2006 | Metros de Santiago | 4–3 | Constituyentes de San Cristóbal |
| 2007 | Metros de Santiago | 4–2 | Panteras del Distrito Nacional |
| 2008 | Constituyentes de San Cristóbal | 4–2 | Reales de La Vega |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Cañeros del Este | 4–1 | Tiburones de Puerto Plata |
| 2011 | Leones de Santo Domingo | 4–2 | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís |
| 2012 | Cañeros del Este | 4–2 | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís |
| 2013 | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 4–3 | Titanes del Licey |
| 2014 | Metros de Santiago | 4–2 | Titanes del Distrito Nacional |
| 2015 | Metros de Santiago | 4–3 | Cañeros del Este |
| 2016 | Leones de Santo Domingo | 4–3 | Metros de Santiago |
| 2017 | Metros de Santiago | 4–1 | Leones de Santo Domingo |
| 2018 | Reales de La Vega | 4–2 | Cañeros del Este |
| 2019 | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 4–2 | Metros de Santiago |
| 2020 | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2021 | Leones de Santo Domingo | 4–2 | Titanes del Distrito Nacional |
| 2022 | Leones de Santo Domingo | 4–3 | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís |
| 2023 | Reales de La Vega | 4-3 | Titanes del Distrito |
| 2024 | Titanes del Distrito | 4-0 | Reales de La Vega |

## Championships

| Team | Championships | Runner-up | Year(s) won |
| Metros de Santiago | 5 | 1 | 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2017 |
| Leones de Santo Domingo | 4 | 3 | 2011, 2016, 2021, 2022 |
| Reales de La Vega | 3 | 2 | 2005, 2018, 2023 |
| Cañeros del Este | 2 | 2 | 2010, 2012 |
| Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 2 | 2 | 2013, 2019 |
| Titanes del Distrito Nacional | 2 | 3 | 2008, 2024 |
| Huracanes del Atlántico | 0 | 1 | |
| Soles de Santo Domingo Este | 0 | 1 | |

## Awards
### Most Valuable Player

| Year | Winner | Team | Ref. |
| 2005 | Ed Elisma | Marineros de Puerto Plata | |
| 2006 | Alexis Montas | Cañeros de La Romana | |
| 2007 | Juan Araujo | Panteras del Distrito Nacional | |
| 2008 | Richard Ortega | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Norte: Tyron Thomas | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |
| 2010 | Sureste: Maurice Carter | Cañeros de La Romana | |
| 2011 | Norte: Juan Coronado | Reales de La Vega | |
| 2011 | Sureste: Eddie Basden | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís | |
| 2012 | Robert Glenn | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |
| 2013 | Gary Flowers | Titanes del Licey | |
| 2014 | Gerardo Suero | Titanes del Distrito Nacional | |
| 2015 | Reyshawn Terry | Cañeros del Este | |
| 2016 | Robert Glenn (2×) | Metros de Santiago | |
| 2017 | Gerardo Suero (2×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |
| 2018 | Gerardo Suero (3×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |
| 2019 | Paris Bass | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |
| 2021 | Jeison Colomé | Cañeros del Este | |
| 2022 | Juan Miguel Suero | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |

### Finals MVP

| Year | Winner | Team | Ref. |
| 2005 | Jorge Almanzar | Reales de La Vega | |
| 2006 | Carmelo Lee | Metros de Santiago | |
| 2007 | Amaury Filion | Metros de Santiago | |
| 2008 | Ed Elisma | Constituyentes de San Cristóbal | |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Edward Santana | Cañeros de La Romana | |
| 2011 | Eulis Báez | Leones de Santo Domingo | |
| 2012 | Mario West | Cañeros del Este | |
| 2013 | Robert Glenn | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | |
| 2014 | Víctor Liz | Metros de Santiago | |
| 2015 | Víctor Liz (2×) | Metros de Santiago | |
| 2016 | Manuel Fortuna | Leones de Santo Domingo | |
| 2017 | Robert Glenn (2×) | Metro de Santiago | |
| 2018 | Gerard DeVaughn | Reales de La Vega |
| 2019 | Paris Bass | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís |

## Statistical leaders
### Scoring

| Year | Player | Team | PPG | Ref. |
| 2005 | Rogers Washington | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís | 24.6 | |
| 2006 | Reggie Charles | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís | 21.5 | |
| 2007 | Jamaal Thomas | Marineros de Puerto Plata | 20.6 | |
| 2008 | Juan Araujo | Panteras del Distrito Nacional | 20.7 | |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Tyron Thomas | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 23.9 | |
| 2011 | Juan Coronado | Reales de La Vega | 21.3 | |
| 2012 | Ollie Bailey | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís | 24.4 | |
| 2013 | Ollie Bailey (2×) | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís | 20.1 | |
| 2014 | Gerardo Suero | Titanes del Distrito Nacional | 25.2 | |
| 2015 | Rigoberto Mendoza | Reales de La Vega | 23.9 | |
| 2016 | Víctor Liz | Metros de Santiago | 22.4 | |
| 2017 | Gerardo Suero (2×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 27.5 | |
| 2018 | Gerardo Suero (3×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 25.6 | |
| 2019 | Paris Bass | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 21.7 | |

### Rebounds

| Year | Player | Team | RPG | Ref. |
| 2005 | Edward Santana | Cañeros de La Romana | 11.4 | |
| 2006 | Alexis Montas | Cañeros de La Romana | 10.7 | |
| 2007 | John Jackson | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís | 10.5 | |
| 2008 | Ed Elisma | Constituyentes de San Cristóbal | 10.8 | |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Ed Elisma (2×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 12.6 | |
| 2011 | Alexis Montas (2×) | Cañeros del Este | 13.1 | |
| 2012 | Jack Michael Martínez | Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís | 11.7 | |
| 2013 | James Thomas | Titanes del Licey | 12.9 | |
| 2014 | Walter Sharpe | Reales de La Vega | 10.5 | |
| 2015 | Dwayne Jones | Leones de Santo Domingo | 15.4 | |
| 2016 | Jonathan Araujo | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 10.9 | |
| 2017 | Jonathan Araujo (2×) | Leones de Santo Domingo | 10.6 | |
| 2018 | Jonathan Araujo (3×) | Cañeros del Este | 11.6 | |
| 2019 | Eloy Vargas | Metros de Santiago | 12.1 | |

### Assists

| Year | Player | Team | APG | Ref. |
| 2005 | José Fortuna | Constituyentes de San Cristóbal | 5.4 | |
| 2006 | José Fortuna (2×) | Constituyentes de San Cristóbal | 5.5 | |
| 2007 | Richard Ortega | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 5.2 | |
| 2008 | Richard Ortega (2×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 8.4 | |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Richard Ortega (3×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 4.6 | |
| 2011 | Christian Dalmau | Titanes del Distrito Nacional | 6.3 | |
| 2012 | Kelvin Peña | Huracanes del Atlántico | 5.5 | |
| 2013 | Walker Russell Jr. | Leones de Santo Domingo | 3.9 | |
| 2014 | Mario Little | Cañeros del Este | 3.8 | |
| 2015 | Ronnie Taylor | Soles de Santo Domingo Este | 5.0 | |
| 2016 | Danilo Núñez | Soles de Santo Domingo Este | 5.2 | |
| 2017 | Juan Coronado | Reales de La Vega | 6.5 | |
| 2018 | Juan Miguel Suero | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 5.8 | |
| 2019 | Adris De León | Metros de Santiago | 5.5 | |

### Steals

| Year | Player | Team | SPG | Ref. |
| 2005 | Edward Santana | Cañeros de La Romana | 3.8 | |
| 2006 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available |
| 2007 |
| 2008 | Richard Ortega | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 2.7 | |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Juan Coronado | Reales de La Vega | 2.4 | |
| 2011 | Juan Coronado (2×) | Reales de La Vega | 2.3 | |
| 2012 | Darius Adams | Reales de La Vega | 3.8 | |
| 2013 | Víctor Liz | Metros de Santiago | 1.9 | |
| 2014 | Walter Sharpe | Reales de La Vega | 2.7 | |
| 2015 | José Acosta | Reales de La Vega | 3.0 | |
| 2016 | Víctor Liz (2×) | Metros de Santiago | 2.5 | |
| 2017 | Juan Miguel Suero | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 2.2 | |
| 2018 | Jaison Valdez | Soles de Santo Domingo Este | 2.6 | |
| 2019 | Jaison Colomé | Cañeros del Este | 2.1 | |

### Blocks

| Year | Player | Team | BPG | Ref. |
| 2005 | Edward Santana | Cañeros de La Romana | 4.5 | |
| 2006 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available |
| 2007 |
| 2008 | Ed Elisma | Constituyentes de San Cristóbal | 1.4 | |
| 2009 | No league held | No league held | No league held | No league held |
| 2010 | Ed Elisma (2×) | Indios de San Francisco de Macorís | 2.2 | |
| 2011 | Scott VanderMeer | Leones de Santo Domingo | 3.4 | |
| 2012 | Kleon Penn | Huracanes del Atlántico | 3.3 | |
| 2013 | Augustine Okosun | Reales de La Vega | 2.8 | |
| 2014 | Walter Sharpe | Reales de La Vega | 2.5 | |
| 2015 | Willie Reed | Metros de Santiago | 2.1 | |
| 2016 | Jordan Richard | Soles de Santo Domingo Este | 3.9 | |
| 2017 | Ángel Núñez | Metros de Santiago | 1.5 | |
| 2018 | Darian Townes | Reales de La Vega | 2.1 | |
| 2019 | Branden Dawson | Cañeros del Este | 2.5 | |

## Individual records
### Game

* Most points in a game
   * 54 by Adris De León, Metros de Santiago (vs. Huracanes del Atlántico) on August 11, 2016
* Most rebounds in a game
   * 27 by Jack Michael Martínez, Cocolos de San Pedro de Macorís (vs. Cañeros de La Romana) on August 31, 2007
* Most assists in a game
   * 15 by Richard Ortega, Indios de San Francisco de Macorís (vs. Cañeros de La Romana) on August 5, 2008
   * 15 by Juan Coronado, Reales de La Vega (vs. Indios de San Francisco de Macorís) on July 9, 2017
* Most blocks in a game
   * 11 by Scott VanderMeer, Leones de Santo Domingo (vs. Titanes del Distrito Nacional) on July 15, 2011
* Most 3-point field goals made in a game
   * 11 by Courtney Nelson, Huracanes del Atlántico (vs. Metros de Santiago) on September 3, 2011 (11/20)
   * 11 by Adris De León, Metros de Santiago (vs. Huracanes del Atlántico) on August 11, 2016 (11/23)

### Season

* Most points in a season
   * 523 by Gerardo Suero, Indios de San Francisco de Macorís in 2017
* Most rebounds in a season
   * 261 by Alexis Montas, Cañeros del Este in 2011
* Most assists in a season
   * 159 by Richard Ortega, Indios de San Francisco de Macorís in 2008
* Most steals in a season
   * 67 by Carlos Wheeler, Panteras del Distrito Nacional in 2005
* Most blocks in a season
   * 76 by Edward Santana, Cañeros de La Romana in 2005