ABA League Second Division
Basketball league
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The ABA League Second Division, also ABA League 2, is the 2nd-tier men's basketball division of the ABA League system. It is run by the ABA League JTD. It is a regional competition between men's professional clubs from six countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
| |
| Founded | July 2017 |
|---|---|
| First season | 2017–18 |
| Country | |
| Confederation | FIBA Europe |
| Number of teams | 15 |
| Level on pyramid | 2nd |
| Promotion to | ABA League First Division |
| Supercup | ABA Supercup |
| International cup | Champions League |
| Current champions |  Bosna Visit Sarajevo (1st title) (2024–25) |
| Most championships |  Krka (2 titles) |
| TV partners | Arena Sport |
| Website | druga.aba-liga.com |
 2025–26 season | |
History
The ABA League Assembly, held on 24 July 2017, in Belgrade, Serbia, decided to organize the ABA League Second Division with 12 participants. Based on the results in the national championships and by taking into account which clubs have sent applications for participation in the ABA League Second Division, these teams will play in the inaugural season of the ABA League Second Division.[1]
Teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia previously played similar second-tier competition called First B Federal League when they were part of SFR Yugoslavia. The First B Federal League was played for 11 seasons from 1980 to 1991.
On 12 March 2020, the ABA League Assembly temporarily suspended the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] On 27 May 2020, the ABA League Assembly canceled definitely the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] On 29 June 2020, the Assembly decided to extend the number of clubs from 12 to 14 until the 2024–25 season.[4] Further on 15 July 2024 Assembly changed competition format to number 16 teams divided into 4 groups of 4 teams each.[5]
Seasons
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Top seed | Champion's Coach | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krka | Sixt Primorska |
 Borac Čačak | Simon Petrov | Marko Jošilo | |
| Sixt Primorska |  MZT Skopje |
Sixt Primorska | Goran Jagodnik | Marko Jagodić-Kuridža | |
| Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Borac Čačak | None | Not awarded | ||
 Studentski centar | Spars |
Studentski centar | Nenad Trajković | Marko Tejić | |
| Zlatibor | MZT Skopje |
MZT Skopje | Strajin Nedović | Dušan Kutlešić | |
| Krka | Helios Suns |
Helios Suns | Jure Balažič | Mate Vucić | |
| Spartak Office Shoes | Vojvodina MTS |
Spartak Office Shoes | Vlada Jovanović | Filip Barna | |
| Bosna Visit Sarajevo | Ilirija |
None | Aleksandar Damjanović |  Jarrod West | |
First Division promotion and relegation
The champions of the Second Division are promoted to a following Adriatic League First Division season, while the last-placed team in the First Division are relegated to a following season of the Second Division.[1] Also, as of the 2018–19 season, the 11th placed team of the ABA League First Division and the 2nd placed team of the Second Division, will play in the Qualifiers for a spot in the First Division for the following season.[6]
| Season | Promotion to First Division | Relegation from First Division |
|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | None | Krka (14) |
| 2017–18 | Krka (1) | MZT Skopje Aerodrom (12) |
| 2018–19 | Primorska (1) | Petrol Olimpija[Note 1] (12) |
| 2019–20 | Borac Čačak;  Split[Note 2] | None |
| 2020–21 | Studentski centar (1) | Koper Primorska[Note 3] |
| 2021–22 | MZT Skopje Aerodrom (Finalist) | Krka (14) |
| 2022–23 | Krka (Champion) | MZT Skopje Aerodrom (14) |
| 2023–24 | Spartak Office Shoes (Champion) | None |
| 2024–25 | Bosna Visit Sarajevo (Champion); Ilirija (Runner-up) | Cibona (15); Mornar Barsko zlato (16) |
Clubs (2025–26)
_location_map.svg)
| Club | Home city | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borac WWIN |
Banja Luka | Borik Sports Hall | 3,060 |
| Jahorina |
Pale | Sportska dvorana Peki | 2,360 |
| Široki TT Kabeli |
Široki Brijeg | Pecara Sports Hall | 4,500 |
| Sloboda |
Tuzla | SKPC Mejdan | 4,900 |
| Student m:tel |
Banja Luka | SC Nenad Baštinac | 2,500 |
| Mornar |
Bar | Topolica Sport Hall | 2,625 |
| Podgorica |
Podgorica | Bemax Arena | 2,000 |
| Primorje 1945 |
Herceg Novi | SC Igalo | 2,000 |
| Sutjeska |
Nikšić | Nikšić Sports Center | 3,000 |
| MZT Skopje Aerodrom |
Skopje | Jane Sandanski | 7,500 |
| TFT Mozzart |
Skopje | SRC Kale | 2,250 |
| SPD Radnički |
Kragujevac | Jezero Hall | 3,750 |
| Vojvodina mts |
Novi Sad | SPC Vojvodina | 7,022 |
| Vršac Meridianbet |
Vršac | Millennium Centar | 5,000 |
| Zlatibor Mozzart |
Čajetina | Čajetina Sports Hall | 500 |
| Helios Suns |
Domžale | Komunalni center Hall | 2,500 |
All-time participants
The following is a list of clubs that have played in the Second Division, at any time, since its formation in 2017, to the current season.
Key
| 1D | Played in the First Division | |||||
| Cn. | Canceled season | |||||
| LR | Lose right to compete in the next season | |||||
| Defunct | Defunct teams | |||||
| 1st | Champions | |||||
| 2nd | Runners-up | |||||
| SF | Semni-finalists | |||||
| Bold | Teams playing in the 2024–25 season | |||||
| R | Regular season winners | |||||
List of participants
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2024–25 season.
The 2019–20 season was canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.
| Team | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | Total seasons |
Highest finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borac Banja Luka | — | — | — | QF | SF | QF | 9th | 12th | 5 | Semi-finals |
| Bosna | 11th | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1st | 2 | Champions |
| Sloboda Tuzla | — | — | Cn. | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | – |
| Spars | — | SF | Cn. | 2nd | QF | 12th | — | — | 5 | Runners-up |
| Široki | — | — | Cn. | 9th | SF | SF | QF | QF | 6 | Semi-finals |
| Zrinjski | 7th | 9th | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7th |
| Cedevita Junior | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12th | QF | 2 | Quarter-finals |
| Gorica | — | — | — | 10th | — | 13th | — | — | 2 | 10th |
| Šibenka | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13th | 15th | 2 | 13th |
| Split | 8th | 8th | Cn. | 1D | 3 | 8th | ||||
| Vrijednosnice Osijek | — | — | — | — | 14th | 14th | — | — | 2 | 14th |
| Lovćen 1947 | 6th | 7th | Cn. | 12th | 13th | — | — | — | 5 | 6th |
| Podgorica | — | — | — | SF | 10th | SF | SF | QF | 5 | Semi-finals |
| Studentski centar | — | — | — | 1stR | 1D | 1 | Champions | |||
| Sutjeska | — | 6th | Cn. | 13th | QF | QF | QF | 11th | 7 | 6th |
| Teodo | 9th | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13th | 2 | 9th |
| AV Ohrid | 12th | LR | Defunct | 1 | 12th | |||||
| MZT Skopje | 1D | 2nd | Cn. | QF | 2ndR | 1D | SF | 10th | 6 | Runners-up |
| Pelister | — | — | — | — | 11th | QF | 10th | 14th | 4 | Quarter-finals |
| Rabotnički | — | — | — | 11th | — | — | — | 16th | 2 | 11th |
| TFT Skopje | — | — | — | — | — | 11th | 14th | — | 2 | 11th |
| Borac Čačak | SFR | SF | Cn. | 1D | 3 | Semi-finals | ||||
| Dynamic | 10th | 5th | Cn. | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 5th |
| Joker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9th | 1 | 9th |
| Mladost Zemun | — | — | — | SF | QF | — | — | — | 2 | Semi-finals |
| Novi Pazar | — | — | Cn. | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | – |
| Sloboda Užice | — | — | — | QF | — | — | — | — | 1 | Quarter-finals |
| Sloga Kraljevo | — | — | — | — | — | 9th | — | — | 1 | 9th |
| Spartak Subotica | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1st R | 1D | 1 | Champions |
| Vojvodina | — | — | — | — | 9th | — | 2nd | SF | 3 | Runners-up |
| Vršac | SF | 12th | LR | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | Semi-finals |
| Zlatibor | — | — | — | QF | 1st | QF | QF | SF | 5 | Champions |
| Helios Suns | — | 11th | Cn. | 14th | QF | 2ndR | QF | QF | 7 | Runners-up |
| Ilirija | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2nd | 1 | Runners-up |
| Krka | 1st | 1D | 1st | 1D | 2 | Champions | ||||
| Primorska | 2nd | 1stR | 1D | Defunct | 2 | Champions | ||||
| Rogaška | 5th | 10th | Cn. | — | 12th | — | — | — | 4 | 5th |
| Šenčur | — | — | — | — | — | 10th | 11th | — | 2 | 10th |
See also
Notes
- ^ Olimpija Ljubljana and Cedevita Zagreb made a merger and established a new club based in Ljubljana in July 2019 under the name Cedevita Olimpija.[7]
- ^ Borac Čačak and Split were awarded with wild cards to participate in the 2020–21 ABA League First Division.[3]
- ^ Koper Primorska was disqualified from the ABA League in December 2020 after failing to play two consecutive games due to financial problems.[8] Later that month, the club also withdrew from the Slovenian League and was disbanded.[9][10]