In their final home game of the calendar year, the London Lions’ undefeated Super Basketball League home record was emphatically ended in a 91-74 blowout by a more energetic Manchester Basketball side, with Kaiyem Cleary scoring 26 points for the visitors at Copper Box Arena.
The Lions started the game with back-to-back threes from forwards Ryan Mikesell and Amin Adamu to take an early lead. Jonathan Williams, hot off the win against Besiktas, opened his account with a pull-up mid-range jumper. Near the halfway point of the quarter, Manchester strung together possessions and multiple three-pointers to take its first lead, 11-9. The lead was short-lived as Mikesell was quick off multiple passes to drive in the lane and float it in for the tie.
The Lions’ depth was beginning to show as Aaryn Rai checked in and scored a three to reclaim the lead, which Manchester quickly responded to for another early tie. Despite Manchester’s higher three-point field-goal percentage coming into the game, it was the Lions who were perfect from deep, hitting 100% with a minute left in the quarter. Closing the quarter, Jordan Johnson made a buzzer-beating three to reduce the deficit to one. The Lions led 23-22.
Manchester came out of the short break and instantly made two field goals to take the lead momentarily before Williams converted a field goal and missed the subsequent free throw. The Lions’ three-point shooting remained perfect as Chasson Jemar Randle added to the three-point party. At 28-24, Manchester were not connecting on their threes and were missing shots from inside, though a Johnson three soon cut the lead to three. Matthew Nicholson then made his first bucket. But the Lions held onto the lead as Randle poured in a three of his own to preserve the perfect start from deep.
Though the Lions were leading by six, they were committing early turnovers and fouls. Manchester took advantage of this with drives in the lane and mid-range shots to keep it competitive. The Lions were able to get to the line and score clutch free throws to keep Manchester at arm’s length. However, Manchester continued its push, making consecutive field goals to tie the game at 38-38.
With two and a half minutes remaining, Shavar Reynolds Jr., who was coming off a 20-point performance and perfect free-throw shooting, was starting cold and managed to score his free throws in search of a rhythm. With about a minute and a half left in the half, Manchester took the lead from an Oluwaseyi Adetukasi three-pointer, heading into halftime down three, 43-46.
The second half presented an opportunity for the Lions to get into a groove. It was Manchester, though, who continued where they left off as Cleary scored a leaning mid-ranger and Adetukasi took a three to push it further, followed by a layup to give Manchester a double-digit lead and the first of the game. It was Williams who helped the Lions crawl back in, but Manchester continued to drive the lane and take advantage of the Lions’ lapses, keeping the home team at arm’s length.
At the six-minute mark, a referee’s timeout was called, which perhaps was needed for the Lions to figure out why the most dominant team in the SLB was behind at home. Coming out of that timeout, the Lions’ Ovie Soko sent Adetukasi to the line, who converted only one of two foul shots. Past the halfway point, Reynolds got into the lane from the corner and scored a layup, but Manchester’s Cleary came back with a three to seize momentum, and Nicholson made a dunk to restore an 11-point lead. Cleary and Nicholson then combined for an emphatic alley-oop to take the quarter and show the Lions’ low energy levels.
Missed shots and light defense did not help the Lions as Manchester were now leading by 18 points, and the idea of a blowout seemed plausible. While the Lions pulled back some points in the last minute of the quarter, it was ultimately Manchester who made the quarter count and theirs. They outscored the Lions 33-16, who were struggling from the field, only scoring 40%, and whose hot three-point start had completely gone cold, dropping to 29%, while Manchester rose to 60% on threes. What Manchester was deadly for finally came to fruition.
The fourth was more of the same as Manchester did not let go of the rope, as they were still getting whatever they wanted on offence. While the Lions were struggling on offence, having only scored nine points with three and a half minutes left, urgency was desperately needed to come back from 18 points down. It was not arriving any time soon, as lazy fouls were given to Nicholson, who failed to convert his free throws. With time ticking, the necessity of a decisive run seemed to evade the team. This defeat marks the Lions’ second-straight loss to Manchester this season, their previous defeat coming beginning of August – Lions 88-90 Manchester.
For many of the players, Wednesday’s win against Besiktas clearly took a heavy toll, and the thin bench depth from missing multiple key players left the starters gassed. Despite the disappointing result, the fans stuck around in a very ‘unbritish’ way, applauding the team for their effort. Ultimately, the devastating third quarter is what slayed the Lions on the night as Manchester took decisive charge.
For the Lions, this is their first loss in three games, following two EuroCup and one SLB win. This is now their second loss in the Championship, though they remain well ahead of second-place Sheffield Sharks. Manchester now move to .500 at 5 wins and 5 losses, staying fifth in the standings, and has now won two-straight after beating Opava in the ENBL midweek.
