Birmingham, Sunday 1 February — The London Lions claimed the SLB Trophy Final with a hard-fought 74–68 victory over the Newcastle Eagles at Utilita Arena to secure first piece of silverware on the season and deliver Head Coach Tautvydas Sabonis his first trophy with the club.

Deane Williams earned SLB Trophy Final MVP honours after delivering a composed all around performance that helped settle London during key moments of the game.

After a slow, scoreless opening stretch from both sides, Williams’ entry in the first quarter brought immediate flow to the Lions’ offence, creating movement from the post and helping London find early rhythm. He finished with eight points, seven rebounds, and five assists, anchoring the group on both end as the game tightened late.

“I just try to make sure everyone is level-headed and doing the right thing,” Williams said. “Sometimes it pays off, and today was one of those days.”

With the SLB Trophy secured, London have their eyes on a potential domestic quadruple in the closing months of the campaign.

London controlled the game early and built a lead that stretched beyond 20 points midway through the third quarter, before Newcastle responded with urgency to turn the final period into a tense, physical battle. The Lions held firm late, executing at both ends to close out the win on the biggest stage.

Chaundee Brown Jr. led London with 15 points, while Aaryn Rai and Amin Adamu added 11 points apiece. Shavar Reynolds Jr. and Ethan Price chipped in 10 points each.

“This is exactly what we talk about — next man mentality,” Sabonis said postgame. “No one is bigger than the team. We just do what the team needs in every moment.”

London carried that rhythm into the third quarter, stretching the advantage beyond 20 points behind strong interior play and transition scoring. However, Newcastle refused to fade, responding late in the period through Terrell Burden and Maceo Jack to cut the margin to 57–45 entering the fourth. The Eagles continued to apply pressure, trimming the deficit to single digits and forcing London into tougher possessions as the game tightened.

“They are a tough team,” Williams said. “They show resilience every time. You saw in the second half they outscored us in the third and fourth quarters, which just shows they’re not a team to be taken lightly.”

Still, the Lions responded with composure when it mattered most. Aaryn Rai delivered two crucial finishes inside and a timely block, while Ethan Price converted an and-one to steady the game. Shavar Reynolds Jr. calmly knocked down a mid-range jumper late before stepping to the line, and Rai added two free throws to steady London in the closing moments.

Despite Newcastle outscoring the Lions in both the third and fourth quarters, London’s early dominance and execution in key moments proved enough to close out the final.

The Lions now shift their focus back to EuroCup play, traveling to France to face Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse on Wednesday night with tip-off scheduled for 6:30 PM.