No Estonian basketball champion declared for the first time since 1942
Due to the emergency situation caused by the coronavirus outbreak, the Estonian Basketball Association has decided to cancel all national championships. The association will not name a champion this year for the first time since 1942.
"In basketball, the winner is determined by the tournament ranking system. As most Estonian leagues did not make it to the decisive phase due to the coronavirus outbreak, we deemed it logical to not declare any national champions this year," general secretary Keio Kuhi explained in a press statement.
The association did, however, approve the ranking lists of regular seasons. "We took into account points collected if the same amount of games were played, then head-to-head matches and lastly, winning percentage if teams finished on a different number of games," Kuhi added.
The general classification of men's national championship: 1. BC Kalev/Cramo, 2. Avis Utilitas Rapla, 3. Pärnu Sadam, 4. Tartu Ülikool, 5. Rakvere Tarvas, 6. Tallinna Kalev/TLÜ, 7. TalTech.
The general classification of women's national championship: 1. Tallinna Ülikool, 2. Tartu Ülikool/Kalev, 3. G4S Noorteliiga.
On Monday, Latvian-Estonian Basketball League board also decided to not declare a champion for the 2019/2020 season.
Latvian and Lithuanian basketball associations have, however, declared their respective national champions without any play-off games. VEF Riga were crowned champions in Latvia and Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania.
Reigning Estonian basketball champion BC Kalev/Cramo confirmed on Friday that their season had ended. One Kalev/Cramo player has tested positive for the new coronavirus. According to the club, he is said to be well and asymptomatic.
Editor: Anders Nõmm