Game Report: London Lions 100-62 Leicester Riders

The London Lions cruise to victory over the Leicester Riders in Sunday afternoon British Basketball League action.

Thanks to another shooting clinic by Conor Morgan, where he went 5/7 from three-point land, the Lions beat the Riders 100-62 at the CopperBox.

Starting Five:

London Lions starting five: Gabriel Olaseni, Conor Morgan, Kareem Queeley, Tarik Phillip, Matthew Morgan

Leicester Riders starting five: Kimbal Mackenzie, Miryne Thomas, Tj Lall, Mo Walker, Jaren Holmes

First Half:

The London Lions prepared to welcome the Leicester Riders to the Copper Box Arena on Sunday by defeating the bottom-placed Plymouth City Patriots just two days prior. After a minor dip in form over the previous two weeks, the champions appeared firmly back in the groove.

Leicester travelled to the capital in desperate need of a statement win. Rob Paternostro’s team had lost two on the bounce, falling on the road to the Cheshire Phoenix and in the return fixture against London.  Exacting revenge would be a crucial step toward improving their 7-9 losing record.

The Lions got off to a characteristically hot start. After taking a 6-0 lead from first three offences, they dictated the pace of the first quarter. Tarik Phillip and Conor Morgan shot confidently, while league-leading scorer Matthew Morgan led the way in the early stages.

London’s elite second unit ensured that there was no drop-off in quality, as reigning Player of the Year Sam Dekker entered the game and high-flying Josh Sharma put a string of baskets to push the lead beyond double digits.

Though Leicester’s leading scorer Jaren Holmes got off the mark in the second period, he struggled mightily from the field, going 1-7 through the first half. Miryne Thomas attacked effectively, but they made just 11 of their 32 attempts. They entered the break knowing they’d need improved efficiency in the second. Lions held a 12-point lead as the teams headed to the changing rooms.

Second Half:

The Lions returned from the break with an increased level of intensity. A huge Sam Dekker block set the tone at the beginning of the third period, before he followed it up with a contested make from beyond the arc.

Conor Morgan exploded early in the second half, sinking four baskets in just three minutes, through deadeye shooting and crafty lay-ups. The Irish-Canadian forward was unstoppable and Riders looked desperately for an answer on defence.

The starting backcourt also continued to punish Leicester with their relentless attack and by the time the third quarter ended, Leicester were down 28.

London could depend on their reserves, as they received a steady diet of scoring from their bench players in the final quarter, meaning every member of the squad ended up on the score sheet.

Travelling Leicester fans watched on as the game rapidly ran away from them, as they couldn’t get close to the blistering brand of basketball showcased by the Lions. When the final buzzer sounded, London had earned their biggest win they’ve ever achieved over the Riders, as the one-sided game ended 100-62.

Efficiency was the key, especially from deep. Leicester shot a poor 4-23 from beyond the arc, while London sunk 15 of their 15 attempts from outside. The Lions also dominated the boards, pulling down 44 total rebounds to Leicester’s 32.

Player of the Game:

Tonight’s Player of the Game was Conor Morgan, who finished the game with 21 points, while shooting at a clip of 77%. He went 5-7 from three-point land and grabbed seven rebounds to put the icing on the cake.