The Leaders Cup, sometimes referred to as the French Basketball League Cup and previously known as the Tourney des As Cup and Semaine des As Cup, is the annual national league cup competition for teams from the top-tier level of French professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

, the

LNB Élite The LNB Élite, currently known for sponsorship reasons as Betclic Élite, is a professional basketball league in France and is the highest level of the French basketball system. The competition has existed since 1921. Since 1987, the Ligue Nat ...

. It was created in its current form in 2003 (after originally being founded in 1988). It is organized by the

Ligue Nationale de Basketball (LNB) The Ligue nationale de basket (LNB; English: National Basketball League) is the governing body of men's professional club basketball in France. The LNB organises the first-tier Pro A and the second-tier Pro B. Additionally, the federation ann ...

, which also organizes the top two leagues of French professional basketball (Pro A, and Pro B). Inspired by the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

Copa del Rey The , commonly known as , or (in English) the Spanish Cup or King's Cup, and formerly known as Copa del Presidente de la República (1932–1936) and Copa del Generalísimo (1939–1976), is an annual knockout football competition in Spanis ...

(Spanish Basketball King's Cup), the ''Final Eight'' format has always been used. At the end of the first half of the regular season, the top eight teams (or the top seven teams and the tournament's host team) from the first division French LNB Élite League qualify. The eight teams compete in a playoff that is held at one venue over four days, which eventually produces a winner. The Final Eight is one of the highlights of the French basketball calendar. At one point in time, the winner of the competition was entitled to a place in the now defunct

FIBA EuroChallenge FIBA EuroChallenge (called the FIBA Europe League in 2003–05, and FIBA EuroCup in 2005–08) was the 3rd-tier continental club basketball competition in Europe, from 2003 to 2015. It was organized and run by FIBA Europe. It is not to be confus ...

competition.

History

Tournoi des As (1988 – 1993)

The Tournoi des As (''Tournament of Aces'') was the ancestor competition of the current ''Leaders Cup'', being held from 1988 to 1993. At the end of the season, the top 4 teams from the top-tier level

French League The French League (: "French League for Purge, purging, mutual aid (politics), mutual aid and European integration, European collaboration") was a Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, collaborationist French movement founded by Pier ...

qualified. Over 2 days of competition, the first placed team of the regular season faced the fourth placed team, and the second placed team faced the third placed team, in semifinals games. The 2 losing teams of the first day would meet for the third place spot, while the two semifinals winners would compete for the cup title.

Semaine des As (2003 – 2012)

After being interrupted for ten years, the cup returned in 2003, as the Semaine des As (''Week of Aces''), and it was largely inspired by the

(Spanish Basketball King's Cup) format. The first edition was organised in Pau,

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The competition was traditionally organized in February. It featured the top eight placed teams of the top-tier level

, at the end of the regular season's halfway point. It was held in a playoff format over a period of four days. The competition was often highly disputed, producing a different winner every year, except in 2009, when

Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...

won its second title, after previously winning the 2006 edition.

Leaders Cup (2013 – present)

The ''Leaders Cup'' is the current name of the competition.

Gravelines Gravelines ( , ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord departments of France, department in Northern France. It lies at the mouth of the river Aa (France), Aa southwest of Dunkirk, France, Dunkirk. It was form ...

beat

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

, by a score of 77–69, in the first edition of the cup competition, that was played under the Leaders Cup name.

Results

Titles by team

References

External links

French League Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ligue Nationale De Basketball Basketball cup competitions in France Basketball league cup competitions in Europe