The Junior ABA League, officially known as the U19 ABA League Championship, is a regional boy's youth age basketball tournament that is contested between the youth selections of basketball clubs from the ABA League. It is run by the ABA League JTD. It is a regional competition between men's teams from six countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.

Junior ABA League
FoundedJuly 2017; 7 years ago (2017-07)
First season2017–18
Country
ConfederationFIBA Europe
Divisions2
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid1st
Current championsSerbia Mega Basket U19 (2nd title)
(2020–21)
Most championships3 titles
Serbia Mega Basket U19

History

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The ABA League Assembly, held on July 24, 2017 in Belgrade, Serbia, decided to organize the Junior League with a desire to strengthen its position as the main power for development of basketball in the region.[1] On October 26, 2017, participants, hosts and dates for the inaugural tournament was confirmed.[2]

Mega Bemax became champions of the first-ever U19 ABA League Championship Final Four tournament, which took place in Laktaši in 2018, as they have beaten Crvena zvezda. In 2019, the second Final Four tournament took place in Slavonski Brod, where Cibona became champion beating Crvena zvezda in the final.

On 12 March 2020, the ABA League Assembly temporarily suspended the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] On 27 May 2020, the ABA League Assembly canceled indefinitely the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

Finals

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Season Host city Champion Runner-up Score MVP Champion's Coach
  Laktaši   Mega Bemax U19   Crvena zvezda U19 82–60   Goga Bitadze   Vlada Vukoičić
  Slavonski Brod   Cibona U19   Crvena zvezda U19 73–68   Roko Prkačin   Ivan Juran
  Belgrade Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic Not awarded None
  Čajetina   Mega Soccerbet U19   Budućnost VOLI U19 92–83   Nikola Jović   Dragoljub Avramović
  Ljubljana   Mega Mozzart U19   SC Derby U19 88–74   Andrija Grbović   Dragoljub Avramović

Records and statistics

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By club

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Club Won Runner-up Years won Years runner-up
  Mega Basket
3
0
2018, 2021, 2022
  Cibona
1
0
2019
  Crvena zvezda
0
2
2018, 2019
  Budućnost
0
1
2021
  Studentski centar
0
1
2022

By country

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Club / Nation Won Runner-up Finals
  Serbia
3
2
5
  Croatia
1
0
1
  Montenegro
0
2
2
  Bosnia and Herzegovina
0
0
0
  North Macedonia
0
0
0
  Slovenia
0
0
0

Awards

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The ABA League Second Division will start from the 2017/18 season". aba-liga.com. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Beginning of ABA League season meets highest standards, Junior Tournaments system confirmed". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  3. ^ "ABA competitions suspended". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Conclusions of the ABA League j.t.d. Assembly". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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