Leicester, Saturday 27 December - London Lions strengthened their hold at the top of the Super League Basketball table as they improved to 11 wins 2 losses with an impressive 83-75 road win over the Leicester Riders on Saturday evening in Leicester.

A balanced Lions performance that saw five players reach double figures proved decisive, led by Deane Williams and Shavar Reynolds Jr, who finished with 14 points apiece. Williams delivered when it mattered most, knocking down two key three-pointers in the fourth quarter along with an incredible chase down block, while Reynolds added a game-high nine assists to control the tempo. Donald Carey Jr led all scorers for Leicester with 23 points, while RaeQuan Battle poured in 30 in a high-usage display.

London’s efficiency told the story. The Lions shot 55 percent from the field, dished out 22 assists, and were clinical at the line, converting 13 of 14 free throws. Contributions came from across the roster, with Ethan Price scoring 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting off the bench and Tarik Phillip adding 11 points and five assists.

There was little to separate the sides early on. London edged a tight opening quarter 21-19, and neither team was able to gain meaningful separation in the second. The lead never grew beyond five points, with the Lions taking a narrow 40–38 advantage into half-time, in part thanks to Karolis Lukosiunas hitting 3-of-4 from three-point range to keep Leicester honest, as the rest of the team went 0-for-10.

The third quarter proved decisive. Leicester have struggled in that period throughout the season, and the trend continued as London asserted control, outscoring the Riders 22-15 to build a 62–53 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Riders threatened a comeback, opening the fourth on a 7–0 run to force a timeout from Lions head coach Tautvydas Sabonis. The response was immediate, as Williams buried a corner three to halt the momentum. London pushed the lead into double figures for the first time with just over two minutes remaining, again through Williams from beyond the arc, before closing out the game with composure.

The Lions now turn their attention to Europe, traveling to Italy to face Dolomiti Energia Trento in the EuroCup on Tuesday night.