London Lions crowned BBL League Cup champions

The London Lions resisted a late comeback from the Leicester Riders to win the BBL League Cup 79-71 at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on Sunday.

The Riders failed in their bid to retain the title which they claimed last season with Ryan Schmidt’s men taking the trophy back to the London capital.

There was a lively start to the first quarter with fouls and anger from Rob Paternostro on the sidelines. The first points went the Lions way after over a minute of play, Kosta Koufos securing two.

The Riders fans roared from the stands at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham as their Guard Kimbal Mackenzie turned it on scoring six points of the Riders’ eight in the first five minutes.

The first quarter ended with the Lions on top with a five point lead over the Riders, infront at 21-16.

Koufos, Luke Nelson, Sam Dekker, Jordan Taylor, Aaron Best and Tomislav Zubčić earnt their names on the scoreboard for the London side.

In the second quarter, Ovie Soko added four points for the Lions as they extended their lead to 9 points over the Riders.

London had the advantage at the half-way mark with a 41-32 lead over their opposition.

Dekker ended with 11 points likewise to Mackenzie for the Riders. Zach Jackson also racked up the points for Leicester with eight as well as Koufos ending the quarter with that amount for the Lions.

The Lions continued to build on their lead and stretch their advantage in the third quarter, taking a 14 point lead into the last ten minutes of play. The Lions had a 64-50 lead as Soko took his tally to ten points as well as Best and and Koufos.

The beginning of the final quarter was electric as the Leicester Riders began an extraordinary comeback scoring eight points in quick succession.

Ovie Soko then committed his fifth foul meaning he played no further part in the game setting up a tense finale.

Dekker took his tally to 20 for the Lions as the two sides began to score at the same rate. The thrilling last quarter continued with nail-bitting scenes for the spectators watching on.

The Riders stalled in their attempt to comeback and it was too little to late with the Lions taking the League Cup title winning 79 points to 71.

Dekker by far the star of the show for the Lions, dunking late on, taking 22 points in the win while Whelan had 15 for the Riders and Jackson 16 as their highest scorer.

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