LSBL Championships

The LSBL Championships or the Optibet Latvian Women's Basketball League (Latvian: Optibet Latvijas Sieviešu basketbola līga) is an annual tournament for Latvian women's basketball teams in the Latvian Basketball League (LBL). First held in 1932, the current format of the league was established in 1992. Teams LSBL also compete in the Women's Baltic Basketball League divisions.

In January 2022, the league unveiled its two-year sponsorship with the Pullman international hotel chain at its Pullman Riga Old Town Hotel, with the league being named the Pullman Sieviešu Basketbola līga. In September 2024, a new sponsorship agreement was signed with the sports bar and betting company Optibet.

History

The very first Latvian women's basketball tournament, fielding just three teams, took place in 1930; however, the first official Latvian Women's Basketball Championship (Latvian: Latvijas meistarsacīkstes basketbolā sievietēm) was organized by the Latvian Basketball Association in 1932, with the hastily formed Gongs/US-2 team defeating the powerhouse University of Latvia team Universitātes Sports (US) in the 1932/1933 season. From 1934 to 1940, joined by players from Gongs, US won seven straight championship titles. Universitātes Sports-dominated Latvian teams also won the 1933 Universiade women's basketball tournament in Turin.

When Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940, the championship was suspended and US was dissolved. A Riga tournament, fielding seven teams, was held in 1941 with Dinamo-2 winning before the start of the German occupation of the Baltic states. In 1942, a Latvian league was established, featuring five clubs, with ASK (Army Sports Club) claiming the title. The next year, the league grew to eight teams - six from Riga and one each from Liepāja and Jelgava. The 1943/1944 season was the first to see champions outside Riga, with Liepājas SB ('Liepāja Sports Society') winning the title. However, the return of the frontline suspended the tournament in March 1944. After the return of the Soviet occupation, the top clubs began to play in the USSR Championships, with the most notable being the famous and titled TTT Rīga.

After the restoration of the independence of Latvia and a return to FIBA, the Latvian Women's Basketball League was launched in 1992. After the collapse of the Soviet league, TTT Rīga became its initial champions, claiming the top spot of the table, followed by BK Jūrmala. TTT has continued to dominate the league ever since, clashing with rivals like RTU and SK Cēsis.

Notable professional players who have played in the LSBL Championships tournament after 1992 include Anna DeForge, Māra Mote, Kitija Laksa, Marina Mabrey, and others.

Current teams

2025/2026 season:

Champions

See also

• Latvia women's national basketball team

Notes

External links