Manchester, October 4, 2026 — London Lions opened their SLBW Championship campaign with a 100-73 defeat to Manchester Basketball at the National Basketball Performance Centre on Sunday.
Amaris Baker led London with 29 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, adding five steals. Chloe Wilson finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists, while Annika Shah added nine points, five assists and four rebounds, making three three-pointers.
London made a bright start, with consecutive threes from Sara Ahmadpour and Shah putting the Lions ahead 13-9. Manchester responded with an 8-0 run and took a 26-18 lead into the second quarter.
The hosts continued to build their advantage in the second, but Baker kept London within reach, scoring at the buzzer to make it 51-37 at halftime.
Wilson opened the second half with a driving layup before London mounted its strongest push of the game. Shah knocked down another three and Baker added two baskets as the Lions cut the deficit to 64-51 with 5:32 remaining in the third.
Manchester responded to London's run and restored its advantage, taking an 81-60 lead into the fourth quarter. The Lions continued to battle through the final period, but could not close the gap as the hosts saw out the 100-73 result.
Three-point shooting proved a key difference, with Manchester making 18 of 38 attempts from beyond the arc compared with London's eight of 24. The Lions also committed 23 turnovers, while winning the rebounding battle 47-37.
London returns to the NCC Hackney next Saturday, October 11, when the Lions host Caledonia Gladiators in their second SLBW Championship fixture.
