In the board meeting of SEB Baltic Basketball League (SEB BBL), held on Monday 2nd of June in Riga, many essential decisions were made, including the decision about the formats of SEB BBL Elite Division and SEB BBL Challenge Cup tournaments for the 2008/09 season.

Nine teams obtained the rights to participate in the SEB BBL Elite Division based on the results of the season 2007/08 - Kaunas Zalgiris, Lietuvos Rytas, Siauliai, ASK Riga, Barons/LMT, Ventspils, Valmiera, Tallinn Kalev/Cramo, and Tartu Rock. By winning Challenge Cup tournament Kedainiai Nevezis obtained the 10th place. However in Kedainiai there is no basketball hall that would meet all the criterions of the regulations of the SEB BBL Elite Division, but based on the fact that in Kedainiai they are building new and modern sports hall, SEB BBL board decided to give Nevezis permission to play in this hall for one year.

During the regular season there will be played two rounds of games and two strongest teams will automatically secure their positions in the Final Four tournament. Two other places in the Final Four tournament will be cleared up after the play-off games where teams from the 3rd to the 6th place (based on the regular season results) meet. The team that in regular season takes the 3rd place will play against the team that takes the 6th place, however team that takes the 4th place will play against the team that takes the 5th place. One team has to win two games to qualify for the Final Four tournament.

In SEB BBL Challenge Cup 11 teams obtained the rights to participate in this tournament based on the results of the previous season – Neptunas, Aisciai/Atletas, Alytus, Arvi/Suduva, Sakalai, Techasas, VEF Riga, Liepajas Lauvas, Bumerangs/ASK, Triobet/Dalkia, and Fausto. For the first time in SEB BBL Challenge Cup there will participate a Swedish team – Norrkoping Dolphins. Three additional places in SEB BBL Challenge Cup will be allocated based on the recommendations of Latvian Basketball Association, Lithuanian Basketball League, and Estonian Basketball Federation. In case all the 15 teams approve their participation in SEB BBL Challenge Cup, SEB BBL board can decide about a “wild card” that could be assigned to 16th team. The winners of SEB BBL Challenge Cup will play against the 10th team of SEB BBL Elite Division until one team wins two games. The winners will get the rights to take part in the Elite Division for the next season. It is planned to divide the teams of the Challenge Cup into two groups, however the precise regulations will be made in the near future.

After the four successful seasons for the first time in the SEB BBL history there will be organized Presidents Cup – preseason tournament where participate SEB BBL champions and champions of all three Baltic countries. As Kaunas Zalgiris won both tournaments - SEB BBL, and Lithuania league, then Lithuanian league finalists Lietuvos Rytas will take part in this tournament as well. Representatives of Latvia will be Latvian basketball league champions Barons/LMT, however Estonian representatives will be the Estonian champions – Tartu Rock. Presidents Cup will be held in Arena Riga on 27th and 28th of September.

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