Korisliiga

See Naisten Korisliiga for women's top basketball league in Finland.

The Korisliiga is the top-tier professional basketball league in Finland, comprising the top 12 teams of the country. In its current format, each team plays all other teams two times in the regular season, once at home and once away, for a total of 22 regular season games. The top six teams advances continues to upper stage and the bottom six teams plays lower stage after 22 games, 5 games at home and 5 games at away versus all other teams in stage. The best two teams from lower group joins to playoffs with upper group teams. Playoffs are played best of seven format, except the quarter-finals which are played best of 5 format. Pantterit holds the record for the most league titles won, with 14. The top level Finnish league for women is the Naisten Korisliiga.

Korisliiga

Founded	1939
Country	Finland
Confederation	FIBA Europe
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	I-division A
Domestic cup(s)	Finnish Basketball Cup
International cup(s)	Champions League FIBA Europe Cup
Current champions	Helsinki Seagulls (2nd title) (2024–25 season)
Most championships	Pantterit (14 titles)
TV partners	Elisa Viihde
Website	korisliiga.fi
2024–25 Korisliiga

Logos

• 
  The official Korisliiga logo used until the 2015–16 season

Teams

Current teams

Team	City	Home arena	Founded	Head coach
Helsinki Seagulls	Helsinki	Töölön kisahalli	2013	Vesa Vertio
Joensuun Kataja	Joensuu	Motonet Areena	1949	Petri Virtanen
Kauhajoen Karhu	Kauhajoki	IKH Areena	1910	Janne Koskimies
Kobrat	Lapua	Kobra-Areena	1989	Ville Turja
Korihait	Uusikaupunki	Uusikaupunki Areena	1974	Ivan Ivanovic
Kouvot	Kouvola	MLL Areena	1964	Tom Cooman
KTP-Basket	Kotka	Steveco Areena	1927	Darko Mihajlovic
BC Nokia	Nokia	Harjuniityn palloiluhalli	1997	Greg Gibson
Salon Vilpas	Salo	Salohalli	1908	Jussi Savolainen
Tampereen Pyrintö	Tampere	Pyynikin palloiluhalli	1896	Tero Vasell
Bisons Loimaa	Loimaa	Loimaan liikuntahalli	1964	Konsta Mastomäki
Tapiolan Honka	Espoo	Tapiolan Urheiluhalli	1957	Aapo Heinonen

From 2000s, Korisliiga in timeline

2000– 2001

2001– 2002

2002– 2003

2003– 2004

2004– 2005

2005– 2006

2006– 2007

2007– 2008

2008– 2009

2009– 2010

2010– 2011

2011– 2012

2012– 2013

2013– 2014

2014– 2015

2015– 2016

Pyrbasket

Pyrintö

KTP

Kouvot

Kataja

Namika Lahti

Vilpas

Korihait

Karhu

LrNMKY

N. Lpr

Espoon Honka

Tapiolan Honka

Tarmo

LoKoKo

ToPo

Seagulls

Kobrat

FoKoPo

T. Comp.

Pussihukat

Aura Basket

Huima

BC Jyväskylä

BC Nokia

SäyRi

Pantterit

Title holders

• 1938–39 Ylioppilaskoripalloilijat
• 1939–40 Eiran Kisa-Veikot
• 1940–41 Kadettikoulu
• 1941–43 Not held due to WWII
• 1943–44 Kiri-Veikot
• 1944–45 Kiri-Veikot
• 1945–46 NMKY Helsinki
• 1946–47 NMKY Helsinki
• 1947–48 Kiri-Veikot
• 1948–49 HOK-Veikot
• 1949–50 HOK-Veikot
• 1950–51 HOK-Veikot
• 1951–52 HOK-Veikot
• 1952–53 Pantterit
• 1953–54 Pantterit
• 1954–55 Pantterit
• 1955–56 Pantterit
• 1956–57 Pantterit
• 1957–58 KTP
• 1958–59 Pantterit
• 1959–60 Torpan Pojat
• 1960–61 Helsingin Kisa-Toverit
• 1961–62 Helsingin Kisa-Toverit
• 1962–63 Helsingin Kisa-Toverit
• 1963–64 Helsingin Kisa-Toverit
• 1964–65 Helsingin Kisa-Toverit
• 1965–66 Torpan Pojat
• 1966–67 KTP
• 1967–68 Espoon Honka
• 1968–69 Espoon Honka
• 1969–70 Espoon Honka
• 1970–71 Espoon Honka
• 1971–72 Espoon Honka
• 1972–73 Turun NMKY
• 1973–74 Espoon Honka
• 1974–75 Turun NMKY
• 1975–76 Espoon Honka
• 1976–77 Turun NMKY
• 1977–78 Torpan Pojat
• 1978–79 Espoon Honka
• 1979–80 Pantterit
• 1980–81 Torpan Pojat
• 1981–82 Turun NMKY
• 1982–83 Torpan Pojat
• 1983–84 NMKY Helsinki
• 1984–85 NMKY Helsinki
• 1985–86 Torpan Pojat
• 1986–87 NMKY Helsinki
• 1987–88 KTP
• 1988–89 NMKY Helsinki
• 1989–90 Uudenkaupungin Urheilijat
• 1990–91 KTP
• 1991–92 NMKY Helsinki
• 1992–93 KTP
• 1993–94 KTP
• 1994–95 Kouvot
• 1995–96 Torpan Pojat
• 1996–97 Torpan Pojat
• 1997–98 Torpan Pojat
• 1998–99 Kouvot
• 1999-00 Namika Lahti
• 2000–01 Espoon Honka
• 2001–02 Espoon Honka
• 2002–03 Espoon Honka
• 2003–04 Kouvot
• 2004–05 Lappeenrannan NMKY
• 2005–06 Lappeenrannan NMKY
• 2006–07 Espoon Honka
• 2007–08 Espoon Honka
• 2008–09 Namika Lahti
• 2009–10 Tampereen Pyrintö
• 2010–11 Tampereen Pyrintö
• 2011–12 Bisons Loimaa (Nilan)
• 2012–13 Bisons Loimaa (Nilan)
• 2013–14 Tampereen Pyrintö
• 2014–15 Kataja
• 2015–16 Kouvot
• 2016–17 Kataja
• 2017–18 Kauhajoki Karhu
• 2018–19 Kauhajoki Karhu
• 2019–20 None
• 2020–21 Salon Vilpas
• 2021–22 Kauhajoki Karhu
• 2022–23 Helsinki Seagulls
• 2023–24 BC Nokia
• 2024–25 Helsinki Seagulls

Finals

Season	Champion	Runner-up	Finals score	Bronze medal
1980–81	Torpan Pojat	Tampereen Pyrintö	3–0	Hyvinkään Tahko
1981–82	Turun NMKY	Pantterit	3–2	KTP Basket
1982–83	Torpan Pojat	Pantterit	3–2	Turun NMKY
1983–84	Helsingin NMKY	Tapiolan Honka	3–0	KTP Basket
1984–85	Helsingin NMKY	KTP Basket	3–1	UU
1985–86	Torpan Pojat	KTP Basket	3–1	Helsingin NMKY
1986–87	Helsingin NMKY	KTP Basket	3–0	UU
1987–88	KTP Basket	Helsingin NMKY	3–2	Torpan Pojat
1988–89	Helsingin NMKY	HoNsU	3–2	Pantterit
1989–90	UU	KTP Basket	3–1	Helsingin NMKY
1990–91	KTP Basket	HoNsU	3–2	Torpan Pojat
1991–92	Helsingin NMKY	Pantterit	4–2	UU
1992–93	KTP Basket	Torpan Pojat	3–0	HoNsU
1993–94	KTP Basket	Torpan Pojat	3–2	Forssan Koripojat
1994–95	Kouvot	Korihait	3–1	Torpan Pojat
1995–96	Torpan Pojat	Namika Lahti		Espoon Honka
1996–97	Torpan Pojat	Kouvot		Espoon Honka
1997–98	Torpan Pojat	Kouvot		Espoon Honka
1998–99	Kouvot	Espoon Honka	3–1	Turun NMKY
1999–00	Namika Lahti	Torpan Pojat	3–2	Espoon Honka
2000–01	Espoon Honka	Tampereen Pyrintö	3–0	Namika Lahti
2001–02	Espoon Honka	Namika Lahti	3–2	Kataja
2002–03	Espoon Honka	Kataja	3–1	Pussihukat
2003–04	Kouvot	Namika Lahti	3–1	KTP Basket
2004–05	Lappeenrannan NMKY	Pussihukat	3–2	Kataja
2005–06	Lappeenrannan NMKY	Kataja	3–2	Espoon Honka
2006–07	Espoon Honka	Namika Lahti	3–0	Kataja
2007–08	Espoon Honka	Kouvot	3–1	Lappeenrannan NMKY
2008–09	Namika Lahti	Kataja	3–0	Tampereen Pyrintö
2009–10	Tampereen Pyrintö	Torpan Pojat	3–2	Kouvot
2010–11	Tampereen Pyrintö	Kataja	3–2	KTP Basket
2011–12	Bisons Loimaa	Kataja	3–1	Torpan Pojat
2012–13	Bisons Loimaa	KTP Basket	3–2	Kataja
2013–14	Tampereen Pyrintö	Kataja	3–1	Bisons Loimaa
2014–15	Kataja	Bisons Loimaa	3–2	KTP
2015–16	Kouvot	Tampereen Pyrintö	4–1	BC Nokia
2016–17	Kataja	Salon Vilpas	4–2	Helsinki Seagulls
2017–18	Kauhajoki Karhu	Salon Vilpas	4–2	Helsinki Seagulls
2018–19	Kauhajoki Karhu	Kouvot	4–1	KTP
2019–20	Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	Salon Vilpas	Kauhajoki Karhu	4–2	Helsinki Seagulls
2021–22	Kauhajoki Karhu	Salon Vilpas	3–1	Helsinki Seagulls
2022–23	Helsinki Seagulls	Kauhajoki Karhu	4–2	Kataja Basket
2023–24	BC Nokia	Helsinki Seagulls	4–3	Kauhajoki Karhu
2024–25	Helsinki Seagulls	Kauhajoki Karhu	4–0	Salon Vilpas

Performance by club

Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence.

Korisliiga winners by club

Club	Wins	Seasons won
Pantterit	14	1944, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1980
Espoon Honka	13	1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1979, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008
Torpan Pojat	9	1960, 1966, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1996, 1997, 1998
Helsingin NMKY	7	1946, 1947, 1984, 1985,1987, 1989, 1992
KTP	6	1958, 1967, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994
HKT	5	1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
Turun NMKY	4	1973, 1975, 1977, 1982
Kouvot	4	1995, 1999, 2004, 2016
Pyrintö	3	2010, 2011, 2014
Kauhajoki Karhu	3	2018, 2019, 2022
Lappeenrannan NMKY	2	2005, 2006
Namika Lahti	2	2000, 2009
Bisons Loimaa	2	2012, 2013
Kataja	2	2015, 2017
Helsinki Seagulls	2	2023, 2025
Ylioppilaskoripalloilijat	1	1939
Eiran Kisa-Veikot	1	1940
Kadettikoulu	1	1941
Korihait	1	1990
Salon Vilpas	1	2021
BC Nokia	1	2024

Records

All-time table of teams

Updated after the 2021–22 season.^[1]

Rank	Team	Seasons	GP	W	L	D	W%
1.	KTP-Basket	67	2283	1273	1009	1	55.8	6	7	12
2.	Torpan Pojat	51	1663	995	662	6	59.8	9	9	7
3.	Tampereen Pyrintö	57	1921	962	950	9	50.1	3	5	1
4.	Kouvot	31	1311	711	600	0	54.2	4	4	1
5.	Kataja Basket	29	1230	705	525	0	57.3	2	6	5
6.	Pantterit	54	1284	695	582	7	54.1	14	4	3
7.	Korihait	40	1542	664	878	0	43.1	1	1	3
8.	Helsingin NMKY	48	1191	645	543	3	54.2	7	3	8
9.	Namika Lahti	35	1249	639	610	0	51.2	2	4	1
10.	Tapiolan Honka 00ers	36	1089	600	489	0	55.1	6	5	5

All-time leaders

Category	Player	Total
Games	Timo Heinonen	1,023
Points	Gerald Lee, Sr.	14,088
Rebounds	Damon Williams	5,674
Assists	Bojan Sarcevic	3,379
Steals	Gerald Lee, Sr.	1,267
Blocks	Pekka Markkanen	678

Source: Basket.fi

Single game records

Category	Player	Record	Season
Points	Joe Wright	79	1991–92
Rebounds	Garcia Hopkins	42	1985–86
Assists	Petri Niiranen	23	1991–92
Efficiency	Larry Pounds	70	1985–86
Steals	Gerald Lee, Sr.	12	1988–89
Blocks	Damon Vance	14	1987–88

Source: Basket.fi

Individual player records

As of after the 2021–22 season.^[2]

• Most points scored in a game:
  • 79 by Joe Wright on February 12, 1992 in Turku NKMY 117–145 Panterit
• Highest efficiency score in a game
  • 70 by Larry Pounds on November 24, 1985 in Kotka Työväe's Ballers 100–73 Säynätsalo Riento
• Most 2-point field goals made in a game
  • 24 by Herbert Crook on March 11, 1993 in Helsingin NMKY 132–111 Turun NMKY
• Most 3-point field goals made in a game
  • 14 by Adonis Jordan on October 17, 1999 in Espoon Honka 98–84 Pussihukat
• Most free throws made in a game
  • 27 by Ville Kaunisto on April 12, 2004 in Kouvot 96–71 Namika Lahti
• Most rebounds in a game
  • 32 by Garcia Hopkins on February 16, 1986 in Tampereen Pyrintö 131–80 Säynätsalon Riento

Awards

• MVP – One for domestic players and another for foreign ones.
• Finals MVP
• Defensive Player of the Year
• Rookie of the Year
• Most Improved Player
• Sixth Man of the Year
• Coach of the Year
• Referee of the Year
• Finnish Basketball Hall of Fame

Attendance

Averages Season Avg 1985–1986 248 1986–1987 546 1987–1988 550 1988–1989 367 1989–1990 609 1990–1991 686 1991–1992 643 1992–1993 571 1993–1994 588 1994–1995 660 1995–1996 719 1996–1997 668 1997–1998 793 1998–1999 809 1999–2000 785 2000–2001 736 2001–2002 790 2002–2003 728 2003–2004 808 2004–2005 850 2005–2006 863 2006–2007 918 2007–2008 883 2008–2009 911 2009–2010 905 2010–2011 868 2011–2012 949 2012–2013 776 2013–2014 861 2014–2015 938 2015–2016 1,024 2016–2017 1,017 2017–2018 874 2018–2019 907 2019–2020 830 2020–2021 144 2021–2022 640 2022–2023 879

Records[3] Attendance Game Year 7,420 Torpan Pojat – Espoon Honka 2005 6,580 Torpan Pojat – Kouvot 1998 6,500 Turun NMKY – Forssan Koripojat 1990 5,450 Espoon Honka – Namika Lahti 2002 5,128 Espoon Honka – Piiloset 2000 4,630 Namika Lahti – Kouvot 2004 4,097 Torpan Pojat – Karkkilan Urheilijat 1998 3,900 Kataja Basket — Salon Vilpas 2017

See also

• Finnish Basketball Cup