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 LeagueFinals Results Year Result Year Result 1981 1. Otago2. New Plymouth 1996 1. Waitakere Rangers2. Pony Hibiscus Flash 1982 Northern1. Exchequer Saints (Wgtn)2. Burroughs Karori (Wgtn)Invitation1. Napier Sunhawks2. Burroughs Karori (Wgtn) 1997 1. North Otago Penguins2. TransAlta Wellington 1983 Northern1. Hamilton2. New PlymouthSouthern1. Burroughs Karori (Wgtn)2. Otago 1998 1. Smokefree Southland Sharks2. North Otago Penguins 1984 1. Hertz New Plymouth2. Palmerston North 1999 1. North Otago Penguins2. Masonic Hawks 1985 Northern1. Truth North Shore2. WaitemataSouthern1. 4ZB Otago2. Wanganui Wolfpack 2000 1. North Otago Penguins2. Kaikoura Whale Riders 1986 Northern1. Rotorua2. Cable Price WhangareiSouthern1. Rheineck Wanganui2. Speights Otago 2001 1. Kaikoura Whale Riders2. Wellington College Saints 1987 1. Waitemata2. Abbey Mazda Northland 2002 1. Treehouse Taranaki Stormers2. Kaikoura Whale Riders 1988 1. U-Bix Palmerston North2. Wainuiomata 2003 1. Canterbury Knights2. Hutt Valley 1989 1. Hutt Valley Lakers2. Ultimate Fitness Porirua 2004 1. Counties Manukau Spartans2. BJ's Hutt Valley 1990 1. Governor's Wairarapa2. Nelson Suns 2005 1. Waikato Red2. Hutt Valley 1991 1. Mobil Marters Northland2. DB Hawera Hornets 2006 1. Waikato Titans2. Waitakere Rangers 1992 1. DB Royals New Plymouth2. Mobil Marters Northland 2007 1. Waikato Titans2. Porirua 1993 1. 96 FM Rotorua Runnin' Rebels2. Checkers Canterbury 2008 1. Wellington Saints2. Waikato Titans 1994 1. Mobil Marters Northland2. Quality Hotel Rotorua Runnin' Rebels 2009 No League 1995 1. Smokefree Southland Sharks2. Quality Hotel Rotorua Runnin' Rebels 2010 1. Hutt Valley2. 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 Ref 2009 1. Harbour Heat Reserves2. AUT 2010 1. Breakers Academy2. Waitakere 2011 1. Waitakere West2. Harbour Heat Reserves 2012 1. Waitakere West2. Northland Suns
References
External links CBL @ Basketball.org.nz 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 CBL 1999 CBL 2001 CBL finals 2001 2001 CBL finals review 2002 CBL finals review CBL 2008 (page 10) CBL 2009 CBL 2010