The British Basketball League Trophy is here, and every single player in the League right now is thinking about the glory of lifting that title at Utilita Arena Birmingham on January 28.
Somebody who has tasted glory in this prestigious final – in his rookie year in the League over 10 years ago – is Manchester Giants veteran, Nicholas Lewis.
As his team get set to tip-off their Trophy campaign on Sky Sports against the Seriös Group Newcastle Eagles on Friday night, we sat down with the 30-year-old sharpshooter to reflect on his experience in the competition.
“Coming straight into the professional game
out of high school, I was completely new to the experience and had no idea
about trophies and cups and things like that, so winning the Trophy never
crossed in my first year never crossed my mind!
“It was an incredible Final against the Leicester Riders. I actually had food poisoning before the big game, so I was throwing up the night before and really struggling, but I got out there and helped the team — so it was a full experience for me and more than just a trophy win.
“As time goes on, you start to realise how valuable things are. At the end of the day, these are championships and people respect them. My appreciation for that achievement has grown over the years, and it is now one of the most special memories of my life.”
A chance to start
fresh
In his second season with the Giants, following stints with the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks and the London Lions, Lewis is a vital asset for Coach Brian Semonian’s side with over a decade of experience in the League.
With almost 2,500 points and over 500 assists to his name in the British Basketball League Championship, Lewis has proven himself a considerable asset over an extensive period in the League, so speaks with considerable experience when he says he sees parallels between his current roster and that Trophy-winning Sheffield team from 2013.
“We didn’t have a great season that first
year when I was at Sheffield but we turned it around for the Trophy. Having a
separate competition to compete in was something that the players and
management took pride in as an opportunity to start fresh and compete.
“I see parallels between that team and this Manchester team because the rosters are very much the same, we had similar qualities and, like that Sheffield team, we just need to figure a few things out and we can be successful.
“We’re a group of guys that know what it
takes to win. We’ve shown we can compete with the top teams already and if we
take everything we’ve learned into the Trophy and play with nothing to lose,
we’ll have a good chance of succeeding.”
Trailblazing
his way to the League
Over a decade into his professional career,
Lewis has plenty of significant achievements and milestones to note from the
last 10 years, but his junior career is equally full of remarkable tales.
The 30-year-old was a medallist for two different nations as a junior – Canada and Great Britain – and played alongside some future NBA talent in Anthony Bennett and Nik Stauskas for the Canadians, who held their training camps at the Toronto Raptors’ facilities.
On top of all that, Lewis took the bold step as a junior to skip college basketball and go straight into the professional game – which is when he ended up winning the British Basketball League Trophy in his rookie season with the Sharks.
“I decommitted from a junior college (JUCO) right before I decided to come over here on trial for the Sharks, and then one thing led to another and I was offered a professional contract and a full university scholarship in Sheffield as well.
“I believe I’m still the first Canadian to come
straight out of high school and play professional basketball, which is
something I say with pride. Not many people have been able to come out here,
whether that’s to the UK or Europe and make a name for themselves straight out
of high school.
“It was a big decision not to go to JUCO,
but if you speak to any high school kid they would all jump at the chance to go
straight to the professional game if they could, so I took my chance and it
worked out pretty well.
“I played for Canada at Under-16 level and won bronze in the Americas Championship, playing with some guys who are now in the NBA. Then, after coming over here I was part of Great Britain’s Under-20 team that got promoted from Division B to Division A in the European Championship, and both of those achievements are career highlights for me.”
Lessons learned
for the future
With the Championship campaign parked for January
as the Trophy competition takes centre stage, there are plenty of lessons for
Lewis and his teammates at the Giants to learn from the first half of the
season.
Sat in ninth currently and locked in a tight battle with the Surrey Scorchers for the final Playoff spot, the guard discussed the challenges the team has faced this year and the opportunities he has had to be able to help lead the group.
“We’ve learned some lessons as a group, and we all know how difficult every game is going to be now, but I have a lot of confidence in what we can do moving forward.
“This is an incredibly challenging League, but when you’re with a group of guys who are new to each other, with a lot of younger players who need to develop experience, and a Head Coach who is learning the League, we’ve had a particularly difficult adjustment period when you put all that together.
“I knew I’d have the opportunity to become
more of a leader this season, but I wasn’t expecting to have this much
responsibility. That being said, I’m really enjoying it, because I’m at that
stage of my career where I have a lot of experience to share and know what it
takes to win at this level.
“I feel like I’ve adapted to it quite quickly and been grateful for the respect I’ve had from the guys, the coaching staff and everybody at the club. I’m very happy with the Giants and enjoying the opportunity to lead the team forward.”
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