WABA League, commonly known as the Adriatic League, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring female teams from Serbia, Montenegro, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia. Clubs from Turkey, North Macedonia, Hungary and Italy had their representatives in WABA League in past seasons. Since 2012 a Cadet WABA League and since 2014 Pionir WABA League is also played.

History Formation and early years WABA League was established in 2001 as EWWL League. In its first season, it included six teams from four countries (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). After the regular season, it held a tournament in which the three best teams played, which was won by Athlete Celje. In the next season, the league expanded to eight teams, and the final tournament was altered so that the placement included the four top teams. At the final tournament, the winner was Željezničar Sarajevo.

In 2003, the league changed its name to EWWL Trocal League, which lasted until 2006. During these seasons, the number of teams playing in the league varied from nine to twelve. From 2004 to 2006, it had a representative from Macedonia and then one from Bulgaria in the 2006–07 season. Austrian clubs left the competition in 2004. Since 2003, the competing teams have been from Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006, the league changed its name to WABA NBL which was used until 2008. In 2006, the WABA Cup launched, which existed until 2010 and was attended by participants in the league. In 2007, the WABA Cup bore the name Vojko Herskel. In the 2008–09 season, the league was named after WABA Multipover; in 2009–10 season, it was named IWBL.

2010s In 2010, the league changed its name to MŽRKL. The Vojko Herksel Cup was last played. In the 2012–13 season, the league included the Hungarian PEAC-Pécs, and the Belgrade Partizan achieved a record in its history, playing 32 matches in the national competitions (regional league, championship and cup) all season without suffering a defeat. In the 2013–14 season, the format of the competition changed. The twelve participating teams were divided into two groups of six teams. Four first-placed teams were placed in the quarterfinals, with the winners to the Final Four.

In the 2015-16 season, the league introduced instead of quarterfinals League 6, in which the first phase the two groups are placed by 3 teams. The League 6 transmitted the results achieved against teams from the same group in the first phase they finished the League 6. League 6 plays a dual circuit system (one game at home and one away) against teams that have qualified from the opposite group previous stage of the competition. The four best teams in League 6 advance to the Final Four.

In September 2016, the league officially changed its name to WABA League. In June 2017, the league signed a sponsorship contract with tourist agency BTravel and officially changed its name to BTravel WABA League.

Names in history EWWL League (2001–2003) EWWL Trocal League (2003–2006) WABA NBL (2006–2008) WABA Multipower (2008–2009) IWBL (2009–2010) MŽRKL (2010–2016) WABA League (2016–present)

Logos Evolution of the Adriatic League logo2001–20102010–20162016–20172017–20182018–present n/a without a logo n/a

Youth competition Cadet WABA League In the season 2012–13, the Cadet League was launched, and since it has shown a lot of success in that period, it has continued to be held. The winner of the first two seasons of cadet WABA League is the team Trešnjevka 2009 from Croatia, when he beat the team of Novi Zagreb and Crvena zvezda. In the third seasonis the champion was the team of Triglav Kranj, Slovenia, which is defeated in the final match of Maribor.

Pionir WABA League Following the success of cadet league, a decision was made to launch the pioneering leagues. In the first season, the winner of the pioneering league is team Croatia 2006 from Zagreb, Croatia, that won at the team of Jedinstvo Tuzla from Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Finals YearHostFinalThird and fourth placeWinnerScoreRunner-upThird placeFourth place2001–02 DetailsŠibenik (CRO)Merkur Celje2:1Šibenik Jolly JBSŽeljezničar SarajevoN / A2002–03 DetailsSarajevo (BIH)Željezničar Sarajevo84:78Šibenik Jolly JBSMerkur CeljeGospić Industrogradnja2003–04 DetailsGospić (CRO)Gospić Industrogradnja59:58Šibenik Jolly JBSCroatia 2006Univerziteti Priština2004–05 DetailsŠibenik (CRO)Šibenik Jolly JBS82:66Gospić IndustrogradnjaVojvodina NISŽeljezničar Sarajevo2005–06 DetailsNovi Sad (SCG)Šibenik Jolly JBS68:55Vojvodina NISMerkur CeljeGospić Croatia Osiguranje2006–07 DetailsSofia (BUL)CSKA Sofia73:67Šibenik Jolly JBSGospić Croatia OsiguranjeŽeljezničar Sarajevo2007–08 DetailsGospić (CRO)Šibenik Jolly JBS72:66Gospić Croatia OsiguranjeRagusa DubrovnikBudućnost Podgorica2008–09 DetailsBijelo Polje (MNE)Šibenik Jolly JBS69:63Jedinstvo Bijelo PoljeGospić Croatia OsiguranjeMerkur Celje2009–10 DetailsGospić (CRO)Gospić73:65Šibenik Jolly JBSMerkur CeljeMladi Krajišnik2010–11 DetailsŠibenik (CRO)Šibenik Jolly JBS20:0GospićMerkur CeljePartizan2011–12 DetailsZenica (BIH)Partizan Galenika74:65Čelik ZenicaVoždovacHemofarm Štada2012–13 DetailsNovi Sad (SRB)Partizan Galenika70:45Radivoj KoraćPeac-PécsVojvodina NIS2013–14 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)Radivoj Korać87:83Crvena zvezdaAthlete CeljeBudućnost Volcano2014–15 DetailsCelje (SLO)Umana Reyer Venezia69:52Radivoj KoraćBudućnost VolcanoAthlete Celje2015–16 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)Budućnost Bemax74:58MedveščakRadivoj KoraćKvarner2016–17 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)Athlete Celje61:57BeroeBudućnost BemaxMontana 20032017–18 DetailsMontana (BUL)Budućnost Bemax71:68Cinkarna CeljeMontana 2003Crvena zvezda2018–19 DetailsCelje (SLO)Beroe65:64Budućnost BemaxCinkarna CeljeCrvena zvezda2019–20 DetailsStara Zagora (BUL)Budućnost BemaxFinal four not playedCinkarna CeljeMontana 2003Beroe2020–21 DetailsStara Zagora (BUL)Beroe66:56Budućnost BemaxMontana 2003Cinkarna Celje2021–22 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)Cinkarna Celje58:51Budućnost BemaxOrloviMontana 20032022–23 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)Cinkarna Celje66:64Budućnost BemaxVojvodina 021Montana 20032023–24 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)Cinkarna Celje64:59Budućnost BemaxOrloviSloga Požega2024–25 DetailsCelje (SLO)Budućnost Bemax71:64Cinkarna CeljeMontana 2003Beroe2025–26 DetailsPodgorica (MNE)Montana 200369:66Cinkarna CeljeBudućnost BemaxPartizan 1953

Champions Team Winners Runners-up Years won Years runner-up Šibenik 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010 Cinkarna Celje 2002, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024 2018, 2020, 2025 Budućnost Podgorica 2016, 2018, 2020, 2025 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Gospić 2004, 2010 2005, 2008, 2011 Beroe 2019, 2021 2017 Partizan 2012, 2013 – Radivoj Korać 2014 2013, 2015 Željezničar Sarajevo 2003 – CSKA Sofia 2007 – Umana Reyer Venezia 2015 – Vojvodina – 2006 Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje – 2009 Čelik Zenica – 2012 Crvena zvezda – 2014 Medveščak – 2016

Notable persons Former players Olga Masilionene

Milica Deura

Ivona Bogoje Luca Ivanković Jelena Ivezić Antonija Mišura Nika Mühl Sandra Popović Marija Vrsaljko

Lucie Conkova

Jelena Antić  Jasmina Bigović Aleksandra Vujović Iva Perovanović Ana Turčinović Božica Mujović

Tijana Ajduković Kristina Baltić Mirjana Beronja Dajana Butulija Nataša Bučevac Ana Dabović Milica Dabović Ivana Grubor Brankica Hadžović  Ivona Jerković Nevena Jovanović Dragana Stanković Nataša Kovačević Ivanka Matić Maja Miljković Tamara Radočaj Biljana Stanković Bojana Vulić Saša Čađo

Nika Barič

Latasha Byears Constance Jinks Tiffani Johnson  Sheena Moore Brooke Queenan Jasmine Stone Latoya Williams

Former coaches Stipe Bralić Slađan Ivić Marina Maljković Dragan Vuković

Awards

Most Valuable Player Season Player Team 2001–02 n / a 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 Anđa Jelavić Vanda Baranović Jelena Dubljević Šibenik Jolly JBS Gospić Croatia Osiguranje Budućnost Podgorica 2005–06 Sandra Popović Šibenik Jolly JBS 2006–07 Latasha Byears CSKA Sofia 2007–08 Lucie Conkova Merkur Celje 2008–09 Constance Jinks Šibenik Jolly JBS 2009–10 Jelena Ivezić Gospić Croatia Osiguranje 2010–11 Ana Turčinović Merkur Celje 2011–12 Tamara Radočaj Partizan Galenika 2012–13 Milica Dabović Partizan Galenika 2013–14 Tavelyn James Athlete Celje 2014–15 Marica Gajić Athlete Celje 2015–16 Božica Mujović Budućnost Volcano 2016–17 Nikolina Delić Play Off Ultra 2017–18 Zala Friškovec Cinkarna Celje 2018–19 Nikolina Babić Budućnost Bemax 2019–20 Josipa Pavić Trešnjevka 2009 2020–21 Aleksandra Mužević Orlovi 2021–22 La Mama Kapinga Maweja ŽKK Plamen Požega 2022–23 2023–24 Thayna Silva Cinkarna Celje

Final Four Most Valuable Player Season Player Team 2001–02 Katja Temnik Merkur Celje 2002–03 Mirna Deak Željezničar Sarajevo 2003–04 Vanda Baranović-Urukalo Gospić Industrogradnja 2004–05 Ivona Bogoje Šibenik Jolly JBS 2005–06 Sandra Popović Šibenik Jolly JBS 2006–07 Latasha Byears CSKA Sofia 2007–08 Anđa Jelavić Šibenik Jolly JBS 2008–09 Nataša Popović Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje 2009–10 Carla Thomas Gospić Croatia Osiguranje 2010–11 n / a 2011–12 Tamara Radočaj Partizan Galenika 2012–13 Nataša Bučevac Vojvodina NIS 2013–14 Haleigh Lankster Budućnost Volcano 2014–15 Shannon McCallum Umana Reyer Venezia 2015–16 Irena Matović Budućnost Volcano 2016–17 Annamaria Prezelj Athlete Celje 2017–18 Božica Mujović Budućnost Volcano 2018–19 Snežana Aleksić Beroe 2019–20 Final Four has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2020–21 Jaklin Zlatanova Beroe

Top Scorer Season Player Team 2001–02 n / a 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 Anica Tešić Željezničar Sarajevo 2005–06 Ana Dabović Herceg Novi 2006–07 n / a 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 Ljubica Kure AJM Maribor 2011–12 Teja Oblak Athlete Celje 2012–13 Sanja Orozović Athlete Celje 2013–14 Tavelyn James Athlete Celje 2014–15 Haleigh Lankster Grosbasket 2015–16 Marica Gajić Athlete Celje 2016–17 Monique Reid Beroe 2017–18 Nikolina Džebo Play Off Ultra 2018–19 Ana Poček Beroe 2019–20 Jelena Nikpaljević Orlovi 2020–21 Tamara Rajić Orlovi

Sponsors Title sponsor BTravel (Croatian tourist agency) (June 2017 - 2018)

See also Vojko Herksel Cup

References

External links

Profile at Eurobasket.com