London, UK – Sunday, 2 November 2025 – The London Lions extended their unbeaten Super League Basketball run to 7–0 with a commanding 82–70 win over the Leicester Riders at the Copper Box Arena, breaking open a close first half with a dominant third-quarter surge.Outscoring Leicester 20–6 in that period, the Lions turned an eight-point halftime lead into a 22-point cushion and though it was a solid response following their midweek EuroCup loss, Head Coach Tautvydas Sabonis would like to see an improved ability to hold on to a big lead.“We were up big and we let up, six points in the third quarter, but then 27 in the last,” Lions Head Coach Tautvydas Sabonis said.“That shows relaxation, we’ve gotta be better than that. When we’re dominating a game we can’t relax, we’ve gotta kill, go for the throat and destroy them. But overall, happy with the guys.”It was a showcase of unselfish basketball, with London’s team chemistry on full display as crisp ball movement and balanced scoring defined one of their most complete performances of the season.

Deane Williams led the Lions with 12 points and six rebounds, while Kameron McGusty and Mo Soluade each added 12 points. “We let up in the end, but we still did our thing,” Soluade said. “We know what we need to do - know we gotta keep the pressure on, don’t let off keep pushing and pushing and get a 30,40 point win, but at the end of the day, a win is a win and we’ll take this and move onto the next one.”For Leicester, Donald Carey Jr. finished with 17 points, RaeQuan Battle added 13, and Travis Evee chipped in 11.

Leicester began fast, taking a 10–2 lead as London went scoreless for more than two minutes before Ethan Price broke through with a dunk off an out-of-bounds play. Mo Soluade steadied the Lions with two early threes, Aaryn Rai found success attacking off the dribble, and Joel Scott muscled inside to give London its first lead late in the quarter. A couple of Rider turnovers produced easy transition scores, sending the Lions ahead 21–20 after one.

In the second quarter the hosts tightened defensively, holding Leicester to just three points in the opening five minutes. Deane Williams ignited the crowd with a thunderous dunk after crisp ball movement, Price followed a block with two free throws, and London shredded the Riders’ zone through unselfish passing. A late jumper from Donald Carey Jr. trimmed the gap, but the Lions led 45–37 at halftime behind balanced scoring and a composed defensive effort.

London came out firing after the break, driven by Kameron McGusty’s downhill attacks and Soluade’s hot hand. A 20–3 run forced a Leicester timeout, highlighted by McGusty’s and-one finish in transition. The Lions dominated both ends, controlling the boards and suffocating Leicester’s offense to close the third quarter up 65–43.

They maintained control through the fourth, Price adding an and-one finish as the lead grew to 30 before a late Riders push narrowed the final margin. London closed out the 82–70 victory with composure, efficiency, and trademark depth.

The win keeps London perfect at 7–0 in league play, cementing their place atop the SLB standings and showcasing a strong response to continental disappointment. The Lions now turn their attention back to EuroCup competition, travelling to Germany on Wednesday to face Ratiopharm Ulm in Group B action.