WABA League

MŽRKL
Current season, competition or edition:; 2015–16 MŽRKL
	Official logo of the MŽRKL
Sport	Basketball
Founded	2001
First season	2001–02
No. of teams	11
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Macedonia; Montenegro; Serbia; Slovenia
Continent	FIBA Europe
Most recent; champion(s)	Umana Reyer Venezia; (1st title)
Most titles	Šibenik; (5 titles)
Official website	mzrkl.org

Međunarodna ženska regionalna košarkaška liga, shortly MŽRKL, also known as Women's Adriatic League (WABA), is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring female teams from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and Macedonia. Clubs from Austria, Hungary, Italy and Bulgaria had their representatives in MŽRKL in past seasons. Since 2012 a Cadet MŽRKL League and since 2014 Pionir MŽRKL League is also played.

History

MŽRKL 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. Next season the league expanded from six 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, and during these seasons the number of teams who played in the league varied from nine to twelve. In the period 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 it used till 2008. In 2006 the WABA Cup launched, which existed until 2010, which was attended by participants in the league. The WABA Cup in the year 2007 bore the name Vojko Herskel. In the 2008–09 season the league was named after WABA Multipover; in 2009–10 season, IWBL.

In 2010 the league changed to the present name, 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 season of 2013–14 the format of the competition changed. Twelve teams which participated in the league 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 season 2015-16 is introduced instead of quarterfinals League 6 in which the first phase in which 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 dual circuit system (one game at home and one away) against teams that have qualified from the opposite group previous stage of the competition. At the Final Four will finish in four best teams in the League 6

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–present)

Cadet MŽRKL 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.^[1] The winner of the first two seasons of cadet MŽRKL is the team Trešnjevka 2009 from Croatia, when he beat the team of Novi Zagreb^[2] and Crvena zvezda.^[3] In the third seasonis the champion was the team of Triglav Kranj, Slovenia, which is defeated in the final match of Maribor.^[4]

Pionir MŽRKL League

Following the success of cadet league, a decision was made to launch the pioneering leagues.^[5] 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.^[6]

Finals

Season	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Location	MVP
2001–02	Merkur Celje	2:1	Šibenik Jolly	Dvorana Baldekin	Šibenik
2002–03	Željezničar Sarajevo	84:78	Šibenik Jolly	Dvorana Mirza Delibašić	Sarajevo
2003–04	Gospić	59:58	Šibenik Jolly	Gradska Skolska Sportska Dvorana	Gospić
2004–05	Šibenik Jolly	82:66	Gospić	Dvorana Baldekin	Šibenik	Three players^[7]
2005–06	Šibenik Jolly	66:58	Vojvodina NIS	SPC Vojvodina	Novi Sad	Sandra Popović
2006–07	CSKA Sofia	73:67	Šibenik Jolly	Universiada Hall	Sofia	Latasha Byers
2007–08	Šibenik Jolly	72:66	Gospić	Gradska Skolska Sportska Dvorana	Gospić	Lucie Conkova
2008–09	Šibenik Jolly	69:63	Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje	Nikoljac	Bijelo Polje	Constance Jinks
2009–10	Gospić	73:65	Šibenik Jolly	Gradska Skolska Sportska Dvorana	Gospić	Jelena Ivezić
2010–11	Šibenik Jolly	20:0	Gospić	Dvorana Baldekin	Šibenik	Ana Turčinović
2011–12	Partizan Galenika	74:65	Čelik Zenica	Arena Zenica	Zenica	Tamara Radočaj
2012–13	Partizan Galenika	70:45	Radivoj Korać	SPC Vojvodina	Novi Sad	Milica Dabović
2013–14	Radivoj Korać	87:83	Crvena zvezda	Morača Sports Center	Podgorica	Tavelyn James
2014–15	Umana Reyer Venezia	69:52	Radivoj Korać	Dvorana Gimnazije Celje – Center	Celje	Marica Gajić

Champions

Team	Winners	Runners-up	Years won	Years runner-up
Šibenik	5	5	2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011	2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010
Gospić	2	3	2004, 2010	2005, 2008, 2011
Partizan	2	–	2012, 2013	–
Radivoj Korać	1	2	2014	2013, 2015
Athlete Celje	1	–	2002	–
Željezničar Sarajevo	1	–	2003	–
CSKA Sofia	1	–	2007	–
Umana Reyer Venezia	1	–	2015	–
Vojvodina	–	1	–	2006
Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje	–	1	–	2009
Čelik Zenica	–	1	–	2012
Crvena zvezda	–	1	–	2014