Change in the First Basketball League of Montenegro: Final Four for the title is being played

The First Basketball League of Montenegro has changed the competition system, so next season the champion will be determined at the Final Four.

Previously, the semi-finals were played on two wins, while the finals were played on three wins until two years ago, and for the last two seasons, the team that was the first to win two wins won the title.

13 clubs will participate in the First Montenegrin Basketball League next season: SC Derbi, Mornar, Sutjeska, Teodo, Podgorica, Primorje 1945, Jedinstvo 1950, Kotor, Dečić, Lovćen 1947, Danilovgrad, Vukovi Zeta and Lim.

Two teams are relegated from the league, and the champion IB MCKL enters.

The season is organized in three phases. The regular season consists of 26 rounds. After that, the top four teams play a play-in, with the first team playing against the fourth team, and the second team playing against the third team. Two matches are played in the play-in, with the first match being played by the lower-placed team, and the second match by the team that was higher-placed in the regular season.

"The two teams that achieve two wins will secure a place in F4. If the teams achieve one win each, the teams that, after two games played, including any overtime, have achieved a higher total number of points will secure a place in F4," reads Article 7 of the propositions, which refers to the system and rules of the competition for the next season.

In addition to the two teams from the play-in, Budućnost Voli and SC Derbi will participate in F4.

"KK SC Derby plays IA MCKL out of competition and the results of KK SC Derby achieved in the regular season are not taken into account for KK SC Derby's placement in the IA MCKL Play-in. KK SC Derby's results achieved in the regular season are taken into account only to ensure the eventual survival of KK SC Derby in IA MCKL," explained KSCG, although such a case with the "students" was also during previous seasons.

In the F4 semi-finals, the higher-placed team from the ABA League plays against the winner of the play-in duel between the 2nd and 3rd teams from the regular season, while the lower-placed team from the ABA League plays against the winner of the play-in duel between the 1st and 4th teams from the regular season of the IA MCKL in the semi-finals.

After the regular season and 26 rounds played, the two best teams earn the right to compete in the ABA2 League in the 2027/2028 season.

The complete propositions are available on the KSCG website, in the documents category.