London, Sunday 17 May — The London Lions completed one of the greatest domestic seasons in British basketball history on Sunday night, defeating the Cheshire Phoenix 104–81 at The O2 Arena to capture the SLB Championship and secure a historic quadruple.

After already lifting the SLB Cup, SLB Trophy, and regular season title earlier this season, the Lions finished the job on the league’s biggest stage, becoming just the fourth team in British top-flight basketball history to complete the domestic clean sweep.

Joel Scott led the way with a dominant MVP performance, finishing with 22 points and 17 rebounds while controlling the paint from the opening minutes. Aaryn Rai added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Chaundee Brown Jr. contributed 15 points, 12 rebounds, and two steals. Kam McGusty and Shavar Reynolds Jr. each scored 15 points as the Lions overwhelmed Cheshire with balance, pace, and physicality.

Head Coach Tautvydas Sabonis praised the group after the final buzzer.

“It’s been a heck of a season. I give it all to the staff, the players—thank you for everything. It’s been a heck of a season.”

London set the tone immediately.

Tarik Phillip opened the scoring with a three-pointer before a Cheshire turnover led to a Scott slam that forced an early timeout and gave the Lions a 7–0 lead just under two minutes into the game.

From there, London never looked back.

The Lions pushed pace relentlessly throughout the first quarter, attacking early in transition and dominating the offensive glass. Rai repeatedly found Scott inside for easy finishes, while McGusty sparked the offence with a turnaround jumper and corner three during a decisive run that stretched the lead to double digits.

Despite strong responses from Cheshire’s Pat Robinson III and Frankie Policelli, London closed the quarter with authority behind strong finishes from Rai and Deane Williams to take a commanding 35–23 advantage after one.

The second quarter belonged to Scott.

The forward completely controlled the paint, piling up offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities as Cheshire struggled to contain him physically. Scott recorded 19 points and 11 rebounds in the first half alone, already securing a double-double before halftime.

A transition and-one finish from Scott midway through the quarter extended the lead to 46–30, while Brown Jr.’s cutting finish and Reynolds Jr.’s late floater helped London carry a 61–43 lead into the break.

“Our mindset was just to do nothing special and keep doing what we do,” Scott said postgame. “Just keeping them as limited as possible.”

Cheshire attempted to respond coming out of halftime.

Back-to-back baskets from Policelli and Rideau helped cut the deficit to 12 early in the third quarter, but every Phoenix run was met with a composed Lions response. Reynolds knocked down a timely three, Phillip answered with a pull-up jumper, and McGusty’s up-and-under finish steadied momentum once again.

London’s physicality inside continued to separate the two sides. The Lions dominated the paint throughout the night, finishing with 52 points inside while repeatedly creating second-chance opportunities through offensive rebounds.

After Rai converted an offensive rebound putback to push the lead back to 17 late in the third, London regained complete control and entered the fourth quarter ahead 85–65.

The final period quickly became a celebration.

Brown Jr. opened the quarter with a transition three before another defensive stop led to a Scott finish inside following a loose-ball hustle play from Rai. Brown Jr. later knocked down another corner three as the lead ballooned to 28 points and the reality of the quadruple began to settle in across The O2.

Sabonis pointed to the team’s defensive focus as the foundation for the victory.

“Yes, we are a defensive team, and when you are doing that from the beginning it sets the tone.”

The emotional moment of the night came late in the fourth quarter when veteran captain Ovie Soko checked into the game in what marked the final appearance of his professional career. Soko scored inside moments later, bringing the crowd to its feet as teammates celebrated around him.

Sabonis reflected on Soko’s impact after the game.

“He’s been an emotional leader, he’s a veteran, he knows the game. I’m just happy that he gets to go out with a bang and finish the right way he deserves.”

Soko reflected on ending his career with a championship.

“It’s a lifelong moment that will always be special to me. I appreciate the team, the fans, the season—it’s really meaningful. It’s the perfect way to end my career.”

As the final buzzer sounded, the Lions completed a historic 104–81 victory to cap off a remarkable campaign defined by toughness, consistency, and togetherness.

“This team has just been resilient all year,” Scott said. “You don’t see a group of guys come together at this level and become this close. It’s a special locker room to be a part of.”