The London Lions tipped off their Super League Basketball campaign in emphatic fashion, securing a 72-79 victory over Leicester Riders at the Mattioli Arena on Friday night.
Joel Scott announced himself as a force to be reckoned with in his competitive Lions debut, posting a game-high 25 points on an efficient 10-of-14 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds.The forward was virtually unstoppable inside, helping London establish dominance in the paint where they outscored Leicester 50-32.
The Lions' aggressive approach on the glass paid dividends, as they converted 17 second-chance points from offensive rebounds - a crucial factor in pulling away from a determined Riders side.
Leicester refused to go quietly, with Travis Evee leading their charge with 22 points including some spectacular long-range shooting that kept the crowd engaged throughout the fourth quarter.The veteran guard knocked down 4-of-6 three-pointers and shot an impressive 85% from the free-throw line, single-handedly keeping the Riders within striking distance when London threatened to run away with the contest.
The Lions built their largest lead of 13 points during the third quarter after a Johnathan Willliams dunk, but Evee's clutch shooting and Leicester's improved ball movement in the final period made for a tense finish.Emmanuel Akot added eight points for the Riders, though his 4-of-11 shooting reflected Leicester's struggles to find consistent offensive rhythm against London's defense.
London's balanced scoring attack proved decisive, with Tarik Phillip, Shavar Reynolds Jr., and Ciaran Sandy each contributing nine points.Sandy was particularly effective off the bench in the first half, providing energy at both ends with his scoring touch and two emphatic blocks that energized the traveling Lions supporters.
The statistics tell the story of London's comprehensive performance: they shot 48% from the field compared to Leicester's identical mark, but controlled the boards (40-29) and forced more turnovers to create additional scoring opportunities.Their 24 bench points also gave them crucial depth when starters needed rest.
For Leicester, the loss would have been a frustrating start under head coach Rob Paternostro, particularly given their home court advantage.Spencer Johnson managed seven points and seven rebounds, while Nathaniel Martin was perfect from two-point range (3-of-3) for his 10 points, but the Riders struggled to match London's physicality inside.
The victory gives London early momentum as they look to build on last season's progress, with all attention now moving to Tuesday night when they have their home debut against Cheshire Phoenix at 7:30pm at the Copper Box.Tickets remain available on Ticketmaster.