Landrius Horton came up clutch as the London Lions rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Surrey 89ers 80-77 at the Copper Box Arena on Friday night. Horton finished with 16 points and seven assists, including the game-winning and-one with 10.3 seconds remaining, as the Lions improved to 9-1 in the SLB Championship.
London, Friday 13 November 2026 – Landrius Horton delivered in the clutch as the London Lions came from behind to defeat the Surrey 89ers 80-77 at the Copper Box Arena on Friday night, extending their SLB Championship record to 9-1.
Horton led the Lions with 16 points on 6-9 shooting and seven assists, including the decisive and-one finish with 10.3 seconds remaining. Joel Scott added 15 points, while Maxwell Lewis III recorded 14 points, four rebounds and three assists. Thomas Kennedy also finished in double figures with 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Lions made a strong start, establishing a 23-14 lead after the opening quarter behind Scott's early scoring and contributions from Horton and Ethan Price.
London continued to control the game in the second, with Kennedy providing a presence inside and Lewis bringing the Copper Box crowd to its feet with a transition windmill dunk.
A late three from Josh O'Garro helped the Lions maintain their advantage, taking a 48-42 lead into half-time.
Surrey responded after the break, gradually cutting into the Lions' lead before a series of turnovers allowed the visitors to take control.
The 89ers closed the third quarter on a strong run, outscoring London 22-11 to turn a six-point half-time deficit into a 64-59 advantage heading into the fourth.
Reflecting on the team's performance, Head Coach Tautvydas Sabonis acknowledged Surrey's effort but felt the Lions had strayed from their identity in the middle quarters.
"Want to give a shout-out to Surrey for putting up a good game. They played tough today. But again, I think our first quarter was really good; it was our basketball. Then, in the second and third quarters, we forgot how to play our brand of basketball. Not using fouls and letting them score 22 and 28 points speaks for itself. But then, in the last quarter, when it mattered most, we finally put it together. That's our basketball, and the guys finished it off."
Surrey extended its lead to double figures early in the final quarter, putting the Lions under pressure.
However, London responded defensively, increasing the intensity and forcing crucial turnovers to begin its comeback.
Horton sparked the rally with a three-pointer before Scott attacked the basket to cut the deficit.
O'Garro then came up with a steal, finding Lewis for a powerful finish at the rim, before Horton connected with Lewis on a lob to keep the Lions within reach.
With Surrey still holding the advantage, Horton produced a difficult step-back three to make it a three-point game. Lewis followed with an and-one finish to tie the contest at 75-75 with just over two minutes remaining.
After Surrey briefly regained the lead from the free-throw line, Horton stepped up once again, finishing through contact to level the score at 77-77 with under a minute to play. O'Garro then drew a crucial offensive foul with 34.3 seconds remaining, giving London possession.
The decisive moment belonged to Horton, who drove to the basket and converted an incredible and-one finish with 10.3 seconds left. His free throw put the Lions ahead 80-77, completing the comeback and sending the Copper Box crowd into celebration.
Scott forced a turnover on Surrey's next possession, and despite the visitors regaining the ball after a five-second violation, the Lions held firm on defense to secure the three-point victory.
The win moves London to 9-1 in the SLB Championship as the Lions continue their strong start to the domestic campaign.
The Lions return to the Copper Box Arena on Tuesday, welcoming Šiauliai in their next EuroCup fixture.
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