Baloncesto Superior Nacional

The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, abbreviated as BSN, is the first-tier-level professional men's basketball league in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1929 and is organized by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation.

The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, which is played under FIBA rules, currently consists of 12<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> teams, of which the most successful has been the Vaqueros de Bayamón with 16 titles as of 2022.

The league has produced players that have distinguished themselves in the NBA, EuroLeague, Spain's ACB, and other tournaments throughout the world. Among them, Georgie Torres was the first Puerto Rican to sign an NBA contract & Butch Lee was the first BSN player to win an NBA title. Later on players including José Ortiz, Ramón Rivas, Daniel Santiago, Carlos Arroyo and J. J. Barea, started their careers playing for BSN teams and later played in the NBA.

Competition format

BSN games are played under the regular FIBA basketball rules. The twelve teams each play a total of four games amongst themselves, two at home and two away, for a total of 44 games during the regular season. Of the 12 participating teams, the top 8 move on to the postseason. The final two teams left will play in the La Final Brava, or the Brava Final, a basketball tournament sponsored by Brava Lubricants.

History

The league began in 1930, and is noted for having had several head coaches who went on to achieve international recognition later in their careers. Among those are Basketball Hall of Fame members Dr. Jack Ramsay, Tex Winter and Red Holzman, who coached the Leones de Ponce in the 1950s and 1960s, and Phil Jackson, who coached the Piratas de Quebradillas and Gallitos de Isabela in the late 1980s. Others notable coaches who have worked for BSN teams include Gene Bartow, Lou Rossini, Del Harris, P. J. Carlesimo, Bernie Bickerstaff, Herb Brown and Sergio Hernández.

During the 1980s, notable players followed in the footsteps of players such as Juan "Pachin" Vicens (1959 Santiago Chile FIBA World Championship's All-Tournament Team) and Butch Lee, the first Puerto Rican and BSN player to enter the NBA. Among those are: Mario 'Quijote' Morales, Raymond Dalmau, Jose 'Piculin' Ortiz, Ramón Rivas, Jerome Mincy, Georgie Torres, Angelo Cruz, Angel Santiago, the late Federico 'Fico' Lopez, Rolando Frazer, Mario Butler, and Rubén Rodríguez, who showcased their talents to all of Puerto Rico's TV viewers and game goers.

New Era and Renewed Interest (2019-present)

On September 19, 2019, the BSN team owners selected Ricardo Dalmau Santana to succeed Fernando Quiñones Bodea as president of the league.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October 2020, there was a change in ownership of the Vaqueros de Bayamón, when retired professional baseball player Yadier Molina acquired his hometown team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In April 2021, the league approved the return of the Cangrejeros under the ownership of Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda. Later that month, Bad Bunny joined the ownership group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In October 2022, the Osos de Manatí returned from a short hiatus, when Puerto Rican singer Ozuna purchased the Brujos de Guayama and relocated the team to Manatí.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref >Template:Cite web</ref>

In game 1 of the 2023 BSN finals, LeBron James made a surprise appearance as the Gigantes defeated the Vaqueros, 89-85, in overtime to take a 1-0 series lead.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 27 2023, the Gigantes De Carolina defeated the Vaqueros 80-60 in Game 5 of the BSN Finals, leading the Gigantes to become the 2023 BSN Champions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October of 2024, Molina sold ownership of his team.

Current teams

Team	Home city	Year established	Arena	Capacity
Atléticos de San German	San Germán	1930	Arquelio Torres Ramírez Coliseum	Template:Center
Cangrejeros de Santurce	Santurce	1918	Roberto Clemente Coliseum	Template:Center
Capitanes de Arecibo	Arecibo	1946	Manuel Iguina Coliseum	Template:Center
Criollos de Caguas	Caguas	2023*	Coliseo Roger Mendoza	Template:Center
Santeros de Aguada	Aguada	1992	Ismael Delgado Coliseum	Template:Center
Gigantes de Carolina/Canovanas	Canovanas	1971	Carlos Miguel Mangual Coliseum	Template:Center
Indios de Mayagüez	Mayagüez	1956	Palacio de Recreación y Deportes	Template:Center
Leones de Ponce	Ponce	1946	Juan Pachín Vicéns Auditorium	Template:Center
Mets de Guaynabo	Guaynabo	1935	Mario Morales Coliseum	Template:Center
Osos de Manatí	Manatí	2014	Juan Cruz Abreu Coliseum	Template:Center
Piratas de Quebradillas	Quebradillas	1926	Raymond Dalmau Coliseum	Template:Center
Vaqueros de Bayamón	Bayamón	1930	Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum	Template:Center

Defunct teams

• Atenienses de Manatí (2014–2017); played their home games at the Juan Cruz Abreu Coliseum
• Avancinos de Villalba (1996–1998); played their home games at the José Ibem Marrero Coliseum
• Conquistadores de Aguada (1994–1998)
• Gallitos de Isabela; played their home games at the Jose Abreu Coliseum
• Grises de Humacao (2005–2023); Marcelo Trujillo Panisse Coliseum
• Indios de Canóvanas; played their home games at Coliseo Carlos Miguel Mangual
• Maratonistas de Coamo (1985–1996, 1999–2015); played their home games at Edwin "Puruco" Nolasco Coliseum
• Polluelos de Aibonito (1977–2001); played their home games at Cancha Marron Aponte
• Taínos de Cabo Rojo (1989–1993); played their home games at Rebekah Colberg Cabrera Coliseum
• Tiburones de Aguadilla (1990s–1998); played their home games at the Luis T. Diaz Coliseum
• Titanes de Morovis (1977–2006); played their home games in the José Pepe Huyke Coliseum
• Toritos de Cayey (2002–2004); played their home games at the Cayey Municipal Coliseum

Championships

Number of championships won by teams

Teams	Finals	Championships	Runners-up	Years won	Years runners-up
Vaqueros de Bayamón	26	16	10	1933, 1935, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1988, 1995, 1996, 2009, 2020, 2022	1930, 1934, 1970, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2023
Atléticos de San Germán	26	14	12	1932, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1942-1943, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1997	1931, 1933, 1936*, 1938*, 1940, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1986, 2022
Leones de Ponce	25	14	11	1952, 1954, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2015	1949, 1958, 1963, 1967, 1989, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2013, 2019
Cangrejeros de Santurce	14	8	6	1962, 1968, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007	1942, 1942–1943, 1951, 1952, 1964, 2006
Capitanes de Arecibo	19	8	11	1959, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2021	1932, 1946, 1948, 1961, 1966, 1992, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017
Cardenales de Río Piedras	15	6	9	1946, 1955, 1956, 1957,1963, 1976	1941, 1947, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1977
Piratas de Quebradillas	18	6	12	1970, 1977, 1978, 1979, 2013, 2017	1937, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1999, 2000, 2009, 2011, 2020
Capitalinos de San Juan	9	5	4	1930, 1931, 1940, 1945, 1958	1943, 1944, 1950, 1974
Mets de Guaynabo	10	3	7	1980, 1982, 1989	1978, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1993, 2021
Vega Baja	4	2	2	1934, 1937	1935, 1939
Gallitos de la UPR	3	2	1	1944, 1951	1945
Indios de Canóvanas	3	2	1	1983, 1984	1988
Club Náutico San Juan	1	1	0	1936	—
Polluelos de Aibonito	2	1	1	1986	1987
Titanes de Morovis	1	1	0	1987	—
Criollos de Caguas	2	2	0	2006, 2024	—
Indios de Mayagüez	1	1	0	2012	—
Santeros de Aguada	1	1	0	2019	-
Gigantes de Carolina	4	1	3	2023	1979, 1997, 2008
Brujos de Guayama	2	0	2	—	1991, 1994
Gallitos de Isabela	1	0	1	—	1984
Maratonistas de Coamo	1	0	1	—	2004

• *These titles are from Farmacia Martin, a team that later merged with the Atléticos de San Germán

<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

BSN awards and leaders

League records

Rubén Rodríguez established most of the early long-standing records in the BSN. He broke both the single-season points record with 810 in 1978 and the highest career points record with 11,549. The current holder of the career mark is Georgie Torres, who broke it before retiring in 2001 with 15,863 points in 679 games, playing his first 7 years before the establishment of the three-point line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rodríguez also holds the mark for most rebounds in a career with 6,178. He also held the single-season rebound record with 380 in 1978, which stood until Lee Benson broke it in 2008. Currently, Neftalí Rivera holds the record for most points in a game in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional when he scored 79 points on May 22, 1974. In that game he achieved the record by making 34 field goals (all of them 2-pointers as 3-pointers were not adopted back then) and 11 free throws.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1989, Pablo Alicea of the Gigantes de Carolina established a record for most assists in one game with 25.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The record stood for over two decades until May 1, 2012, when Jonathan García of the Caciques de Humacao broke it recording 33 assists against the Brujos de Guayama. García's mark is an unofficial world record pending the approval of Guinness World Records, since there is no higher number recorded in any amateur or professional international league or in FIBA competition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During this game, the Caciques also established the team points record for a single game with 130 and for most scored during a single (10-minute) quarter with 46. The Vaqueros de Bayamón hosted the game with highest attendance in the league, with 17,621 fans attending a home game against Río Piedras on September 8, 1969. This bested the previous top of 16,564 in a game between Ponce and Santurce. The Vaqueros also hold the record for most consecutive championships, winning five from 1971 to 1975.

BSN statistical leaders

^	Active player
*	Inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame

BSN all-time scoring leaders

Rank	Player	Position(s)	Nationality	Years	Total points	Games played	Points per game average
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1975–2001	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1975–1998	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PAN	1980–2008	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Rolando Frazer	Template:Center	Template:PAN	1980–2001	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1966–1985	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1969–1991	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Roberto Ríos	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1978–2000	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Ángel Santiago	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1973–1996	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	José Quiñones	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1976–1995	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Christian Dalmau	Template:Center	Template:PUR	1992–2003, 2009–2017	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center

BSN all-time rebounding leaders

Rank	Player	Pos	Years	Reb	GP	RPG
Template:Center	Mario Butler	Template:Center	1980–2008	8,236	779	10.6
Template:Center	Rubén Rodríguez	Template:Center	1969–1991	6,178	631	9.8
Template:Center	Rolando Frazer	Template:Center	1980–2001	6,153	603	10.2
Template:Center	Raymond Dalmau	Template:Center	1966–1985	5,673	537	10.6
Template:Center	Mario Morales	Template:Center	1975–1998	5,665	675	8.4
Template:Center	José Ortíz	Template:Center	1980–2006	5,314	505	10.5
Template:Center	Carlos Bermúdez	Template:Center	1970–1984	4,884	422	11.6
Template:Center	Edgar de León	Template:Center	1981–2001	4,837	493	9.8
Template:Center	Teófilo Cruz*	Template:Center	1957–1982	4,672	584	8
Template:Center	Ángel Santiago	Template:Center	1973–1996	4,447	617	7.2

BSN all-time assists leaders

Rank	Player	Position(s)	Years	Total AST	GP	APG
Template:Center	James Carter	Template:Center	1987–2006	3,025	543	5.6
Template:Center	Christian Dalmau	Template:Center	1992–2003, 2009–2017	2,931	639	4.6
Template:Center	Pablo Alicea	Template:Center	1987–2006	2,762	503	5.5
Template:Center	Javier Antonio Colón	Template:Center	1987–2008	2,748	555	5.0
Template:Center	Federico López	Template:Center	1981–1997	2,440	446	5.5
Template:Center	Wilfredo Pagan	Template:Center	1992–2018	2,367	652	3.6
Template:Center	Roberto Ríos	Template:Center	1978–2000	2,315	681	3.4
Template:Center	Raymond Dalmau	Template:Center	1966–1985	2,302	537	5.1
Template:Center	Bobby Joe Hatton	Template:Center	1994–2012	2,235	489	4.6
Template:Center	George Torres	Template:Center	1975–2001	2,203	679	3.2

BSN all-time block leaders

Rank	Player	Position(s)	Nationality	Total blocks	Games played	Blocks per game average
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR Template:Flagicon British Virgin Islands	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Jeffrion Aubry	Template:Center	Template:PUR	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:ISV	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:PUR	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:USA	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
Template:Center	Template:Sortname	Template:Center	Template:USA	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center

Last Updated July 26, 2023

See also

• Puerto Rico national basketball team
• Rebeca Davila - a referee in the league

External links

• Official site Template:In lang
• Puerto Rican league on Latinbasket.com Template:In lang