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HGL Season 5 is now done and dusted, and medal ceremony is just about to begin.

History seems to have repeated itself - Virtus Portici (SventraCanestri) remains the HGL Champion, Rajdersi (Paul George) the Silver medalist, and KK Stihija (Pihija) the Bronze medalist of HGL Season 5 - just the same trio as we had taking the HGL medals to their countries (Italy, Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina, respectively) on Season 4.

In both matches - played in front of total of slightly over 10000 spectators - home teams were able to cruise to a relatively comfortable (yet not absolutely dominating) 14 point victories; in the case of KKS-VIV match though, the difference before 4th quarter was "only" 10 points, so in that sense game was still very much undecided at that point.

Congratulations to all above mentioned managers, yet strengthening their position in an all-time HGL medal table! And again, people tend to look only at medalists, but let's not forget to get out hats off for Vilniaus „Vilkai“ (coached by kecal), who were able to reach 4th place and surpass many more expensive teams (with their $463K top8-salaries) on Season 5.


@VPO: please add match link to your box score post immediately. These should be added there before matches begin.

@all HGL managers: please check out your box score posts on Season 5. If you haven't done work needed to be done, now is the last time to do that.
Remember to also add abbreviations for your Playoffs:

Abbreviations used for Playoffs scores:
AQR2 =Automatically Qualified to Round 2 of Playoffs
(used by Top 4 teams of RS, on PO Round 1)

NQP=Not Qualified to PO
(teams ranked 13-17th in RS, didn't qualify for PO)

*DNP* =Did Not Play (on this Round)

You all know it's a requirement to keep on editing it throughout the Season.

It's one of those aspects, in where I hope we don't need to start enforcing penalties (for instance, forfeit losses on next Season, until previous Season box score is corrected - trust me, I can think of several penalty scenarios, yet I'd prefer not to apply any if decently possible; however, if it starts to create too much work for me to keep on checking that out and reminding managers again and again for simple task, that could be the only reasonable way to find solution by using warning and/or penalty system).


Last edited by Wagner at 7/19/2026 12:41:41 PM

It's tempting since two of my transfers are interesting, but I've scouted a great draft prospect that I want to build around.

I'm last right now after coming back to a 0-19 record. If I win today I'll finish second to last, but since the bottom team is a bot, there's only a 1/48 chance it auto-picks my guy. I had a lot of scouting points—unfortunately, I spent them all because I forgot they carry over!

I'm ready to fully dive into the HG challenge now and focus 100% on training my trainees, in the long term, that would mean my team is slightly better once I get into the HG-PL (I think)

By the way, it's great to see you committing to HG project so strongly that you wanted to make a statement about it on your team page ("A New Era Begins: Torrelles Corsaris Commits to a Strict Homegrown Project") - maybe and hopefully other teams read such writings, and discover the real value and challenge of being a HG team that way! In some cases it gives other teams especially in one's own country a motivational boost, when they discover their fellow citizen being excited about the project. :)

You said it yourself well; I think "in the long term" is the only way to think about such project realistically, unless you happened to sell many youngsters to other teams few seasons ago, and are capable, or rather willing, to buy many of them back at the same season (radically boosting your top8-salaries). For the rest of us, it's certainly a long project, but very rewarding one indeed.
Most of us current bunch of 18 teams don't have any re-purchased players in our rosters - some even haven't ever purchased a player in their team history. So it's a varied bunch of teams in that sense as well - here's the recap of last Season's situation ((329501.234)), which shows you that 4-5 teams practically have re-purchased players (and myself and Elan Demars each have one +70 years old player in our rosters who have been repurchased, but have absolutely zero impact to our teams competitively).

Like MrJ commented already, realistically I also think it'll take some seasons to build your team strong enough to be able to participate to HGL (because that would require you to be among the best, or best, team of that HGL-PL Season), but meanwhile it's enjoyable to realize, that every pop-up you're getting to your players is getting to where you eventually want to be. Being a HG team though, you need to plan everything with much more precise way to be effective, because you can't fill your shortcomings in training and overall planning by buying just about anyone.

And like said, while it might take some time to train a strong enough team for HGL, as long as you're initially willing to accept place in HGL should it be offered for you, it's always possible to participate to HGL-PL (which I think we're organizing each HGL Season going forward, especially if there are any new interested participants compared to previous HGL-PL's list of participants) so that you can compare your team to the current competition (willing to enter HGL).

Last edited by Wagner at 7/19/2026 7:44:48 PM

As promised, here comes the all-time play-off rounds table, which is ordered by the cumulative points each individual team has gotten over the seasons. The awarding of points is identical to the point distribution during regular seasons, with a win awarding 2 points, loss giving 1 point and a forfeit loss giving 0 points. Automatic qualification for round 2 is regarded as a wins and also awards 2 points. For this table I have NOT counted the third place matches to avoid the champion and the 3rd placed team to end with identical amount of points per season.

Rank__Team__GP__AQR__W__L___F__PF/G___PA/G___PD/G__WLR___Pts
01____VPO___12___4___12__00__0__095.4__075.9__+19.5__1.000__32
02____RAJ___12___4___07__00__0__093.7__091.9__+01.8__0.583__27
03____HAD___09___3___07__02__0__110.6__091.6__+19.6__0.778__22
04____ED____10___0___05__05__0__092.6__085.9__+06.7__0.500__15
05____KKS___06___3___03__03__0__084.8__089.5__-04.7__0.500__15
06____WMO__09___1___04__05__0__094.7__105.7__-11.0__0.444__15
07____LMS___07___1___03__04__0__097.4__098.3__-00.9__0.429__12
08____VIV___05___1___02__03__0__098.4__099.4__-01.0__0.400__09
09____WAG__06___0___02__04__0__089.7__098.8__-09.2__0.333__08
10____HB____05___1___02__03__1__074.0__089.6__-15.6__0.400__08
11____SED___03___1___02__01__0__100.7__082.0__+18.7__0.667__07
12____EOS___05___0___02__03__0__086.4__084.6__+01.8__0.400__07
13____SUM___05___0___02__03__1__072.4__086.8__-14.4__0.400__06
14____HEY___02___1___01__01__0__087.5__092.5__-05.0__0.500__05
15____LGM___04___0___00__04__0__093.5__102.3__-08.8__0.000__04
16____MAD___04___0___00__04__0__081.0__101.3__-20.3__0.000__04
17____BCR___02___0___01__01__0__098.0__103.0__-05.0__0.500__03
18____VDT___02___0___00__02__0__086.5__105.5__-19.0__0.000__02
19____TRO___01___0___00__01__0__093.0__110.0__-17.0__0.000__01
20____HCH___01___0___00__01__0__092.0__121.0__-29.0__0.000__01
21____ALA___00___0___00__00__0__000.0__000.0__+00.0__0.000__00
22____BIG___00___0___00__00__0__000.0__000.0__+00.0__0.000__00
23____BUC___00___0___00__00__0__000.0__000.0__+00.0__0.000__00
24____FRE___00___0___00__00__0__000.0__000.0__+00.0__0.000__00
25____HGK___00___0___00__00__0__000.0__000.0__+00.0__0.000__00

GP=Games played, AQR=Automatic qualification to Round 2, W=Wins, L=Losses, F=Forfeit losses, PF/G=Points scored for per game, PA/G=Points scored against per game, PD/G=Scoring difference per game, WLR=Win-Loss-Ratio, Pts=Points in the table

Teams in italic font were not active in the current season of HGL.

Here are the stats by countries after for the PO rounds in season 5. I have put together this table in the identical way, as for the regular season one.

Rank_Cty___NoT_GP___W____L____PF/G___PA/G___PD/G___WLR
01____ITA____2___012___012___000___095.4____075.9____+19.5____1.000
02____SVK____1___009___007___002___110.6____091.0____+19.6____0.778
03____ARG____1___003___002___001___100.7____082.0____+18.7____0.667
04____POL____1___012___007___005___093.7____091.9____+01.8____0.583
05____BIH____1___006___003___003___084.8____089.5____-04.7____0.500
06____AUS____2___002___001___001___087.5____092.5____-05.0____0.500
07____EST____2___007___003___004___089.7____089.9____-00.1____0.429
08____LVA____1___007___003___004___097.4____098.3____-00.9____0.429
09____LTU____1___005___002___003___098.4____099.4____-01.0____0.400
10____SWE____1___005___002___003___074.0____089.6____-15.6____0.400
11____FIN____3___011___004___007___081.8____093.4____-11.5____0.364
12____FRA____4___025___009___016___093.0____097.2____-04.2____0.360
13____URY____1___001___000___001___093.0____110.0____-17.0____0.000
14____ESP____1___004___000___004___081.0____101.3____-20.3____0.000
15____USA____3___001___000___001___092.0____121.0____-29.0____0.000

Cty=Country, NoT=Number of distinct teams, GP=Games played, W=Wins, L=Losses, PF/G=Points scored for per game, PA/G=Points scored against per game, PD/G=Scoring difference per game, WLR=Win-Loss-Ratio

Countries in italic font have currently no active teams in HGL.

Congratulations on work done.

If I'm not mistaken, you have an eror regarding my team's score. It should be 4 W, 2 L, cause I was 3rd in seasons 4 and 5, and didn't participate in season 3 PO cause of fortfeit. It went, I win 2nd round, lose to Rajders and then win for Bronze medal :D

Hey Pihija, currently I have not counted the games for the third place in this table, as this "extra game" would distort the points distribution relative to the teams that reached the final. So currently I have 1W (vs ED) and 1L (vs VPO) in season 3, 1W (vs ED) and 1L (vs RAJ) in season 4, 1W (vs LMS) and 1L (vs RAJ) in season 5 for your play off games. As far as I could see, your unfortunate forfeit incident happened in season 2.

Last edited by GM-LennuK at 7/20/2026 7:55:10 AM

Hey Pihija, currently I have not counted the games for the third place in this table, as this "extra game" would distort the points distribution relative to the teams that reached the final. So currently I have 1W (vs ED) and 1L (vs VPO) in season 3, 1W (vs ED) and 1L (vs RAJ) in season 4, 1W (vs LMS) and 1L (vs RAJ) in season 5 for your play off games. As far as I could see, your unfortunate forfeit incident happened in season 2.

Statistics are in many occasions hard, in terms of where you draw the line. It's like in soccer world championships, where you have equal chance of fighting for a Golden Boot in a bronze match, even though your opposition will likely be easier (in that bronze match) than in a final game.

I might be tempted to suggest few small tweaks to the table, but then again, it is your work and your call, and I don't want to come off as "know it better" by doing so (because these selections are matter of taste/decision to some/big extent). :)

Further EDIT: please don't take this as a criticism of any kind. Statistics are plenty of work, and you have done lots of work and given us a considerable amount of interesting material "to chew" over all these seasons. I, if someone, would have to refrain from suggesting much additions/changes, as I'm perfectly aware all changes mean work - more, or less.

Last edited by Wagner at 7/20/2026 8:16:21 AM

HGL-PL matches have started, and both played on correct court balance - good job, new managers!

Let's wait for a bit longer, if Tassie Devils will complete their HGL-PL duties.

If they do, including creating box score post and editing it very soon(arranging last match as well, if it's not done yet?), maybe they can be let to participate without forfeits. But like said, if he doesn't, then it will be necessary to make a call (due to fairness) to change also this day's result as a forfeit win to SAN.

But as you all can see, it's very inconvenient situation. Long time interested/committed manager, who doesn't seem to be committed anymore merely tens of hours before the start (who has been waiting for months after months to be able to participate).

At the same time I want to be lenient/understanding, yet strict to make sure we wouldn't have to "guess" like now, and that everything would run smoothly, and to encourage committed behavior.
This shall again serve as an example of a situation, that will probably drive a rule change, and of a situation, that we definitely want to avoid.



Last edited by Wagner at 7/20/2026 8:43:10 AM

Yes, a line to draw is difficult sometimes. While I do dislike, e.g., the bronze medal match in the WC, I think that here in BB we can do some things differently (and hopefully better). Still, I am always open for constructive feedback (and also criticism), so we can definitely talk about tweaks and even more major adjustments, so don't hesitate to tell me about your ideas. This should in the end be a community output of some sorts and I do not want to force only my own view on the matters.

I thought of other systems, e.g., awarding 3 points for a finals win and 2 points for a loss, so that I could integrate the bronze medal match there with the regular point system too, yet I was a bit unsure about this. So, if you think there is another good way to solve it, let me know.

Hence, Wagner, an any other HGL manager, always let me know if you want some adjustments to the stats and other input that I provide through the forums, I am always open for other/new ideas, as long they are somewhat easy to implement.

Last edited by GM-LennuK at 7/20/2026 10:13:41 AM

As far as I could see, your unfortunate forfeit incident happened in season 2.

Ah OK :D

Shows you how good and reliable my memory is :D

Thanks for the great work!

I remember it exactly, as only thanks to this, I was able to participate in the POs back then