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Stella Kaltsidou’s team kick-off their Women’s British Basketball League home opener with a victory, defending home court against the Leicester Riders.
Rayven Peeples stood out for the visitors, leading the game in points and rebounds in her side’s defeat.
Sunday evening’s game saw a great match-up between two unbeaten sides who had both started their domestic campaigns with straight victories. The Lions have also been keeping sharp by excelling in Europe, where their victories have extended their overall winning streak to nine games.
Looking to make it 10 in a row, the hosts began the match by scoring an impressive 27 points in the opening 10 minutes. Leicester, on the other hand, were limited to 17 points as the Lions took a healthy 10-point lead into the second quarter.
The Riders made just one three-pointer in the game which was a decisive factor in their loss. In the second quarter, Megan Gustafson and her side continued to build on their early foundations by taking a 19-point lead into half-time.
Although there was just one rebound in the battle on the glass, there was a clear discrepancy between the two assist totals - which were dominated by London.
Guard Holly Winterburn had six dimes in just under 20 minutes of action as the GB international pulled the strings in the Lions’ offense at the Copper Box. By the end of the third quarter, the Lions had a 28-point lead and looked comfortable heading into the last 10 minutes.
From here, the home side took their foot of the gas, scoring just seven points in comparison to the Riders’ 19. Despite this poor spell, the London Lions still had done more than enough to claim victory and extend their winning streak across all competitions.
Next on the agenda is the Nottingham Wildcats, who will travel south on Sunday, December 10th, for the first half of another double-header at the Copper Box.
Watch the full game here.
