London, Wednesday 25 March — The London Lions used a strong second-half defensive performance to secure an 87–67 victory over the Sheffield Sharks at the Copper Box Arena, breaking open a tight contest with a decisive third-quarter push.

After leading by just eight at halftime, London tightened up defensively and controlled the tempo after the break, holding Sheffield to just 28 second-half points to take full command of the game.

Chaundee Brown Jr. led the Lions with 17 points, while Shavar Reynolds Jr. added 14 points and continued to orchestrate the offence. Tarik Phillip contributed 12 points, with Deane Williams adding 11 and Aaryn Rai finishing with 10, as London once again showcased balanced scoring across the lineup.

Head Coach Tautvydas Sabonis pointed to the defensive shift as the turning point.

“Little tight first half, offensively we were good but we let them score too many points,” Sabonis said. “Second half we fixed our defence — 28 points in the second half — and that set the tone for the game. Once we play defence, again, this team is very, very good.”

London started the game with strong ball movement, finding early success through Reynolds facilitating inside looks and Brown knocking down perimeter shots. The Lions built a lead late in the first quarter, highlighted by a steal and score from Phillip just before the buzzer to make it 26–19.

The second quarter proved more challenging, as Sheffield responded with a 7–0 run to tie the game early in the period. London answered out of a timeout with an 8–0 run of their own, sparked by Brown’s scoring and improved defensive intensity.

Despite Sheffield continuing to apply pressure inside, the Lions carried a 47–39 lead into halftime.

The game shifted decisively in the third quarter.

London began to find rhythm from beyond the arc, with Brown and Reynolds hitting key threes, while defensive pressure created turnovers and transition opportunities. Phillip’s second steal off an inbound led to a momentum-swinging dunk, helping extend the lead to 68–54 heading into the fourth.

“We have a deep roster, play 12 guys when we can — strength in numbers as coach says,” Phillip said. “We go in, play defence hard, and the next guy comes in and does the same thing. It wears teams down, and the results show.”

In the final period, the Lions continued to build separation. Reynolds knocked down timely shots, while Rai provided a spark with an and-one finish and strong defensive plays. London’s depth and energy proved too much, as they pushed the lead to as many as 20 before closing out the 87–67 win.

The victory marks another strong performance for a Lions team hitting form at the right time, combining defensive intensity with balanced offensive production.

London remain atop the SLB Championship standings with a 19–5 record as they continue their push toward the latter stages of the season.

The Lions return to action on Friday at the Copper Box Arena, where they will face the Bristol Flyers as they look to maintain momentum in league play.