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A fourth period collapse saw Lions’ four game winning streak come to an end with a 78-74 home defeat against Bristol Flyers, on Wednesday.
A strong third period saw hosts London 66-57 ahead going into the final frame but a 23-8 fourth period from the Flyers saw them pick up their first win in seven attempts against the Lions this season.
Isaiah Reese led all scorers with 25 points, draining five three-pointers, adding eight assists and three rebounds, but was held to four points after the half-time break. Lorenzo Cugini finished with 14 points and five rebounds while Kylor Kelley continued his good form defensively with 13 rebounds and four blocks, adding nine points and three assists.
Julian Washburn also added 13 boards for a Lions side who were without Dirk Williams due to injury. Mike Miller led a balanced Flyers’ offence with 16 points while Marcus Evans and Raphell Thomas-Edwards finished with 15 apiece.
Kelley converted an alley-oop to open the scoring, and triples from Reese and Cugini saw Lions rush into an 8-0 lead. Kelley had another dunk, but Flyers slowly chipped away at their lead, and Malcolm Delpeche’s dunk put them 20-17 ahead before treys from Reese and Justin Robinson helped them go into the first break tied on 23.
Bradley Kaboza’s driving lay-up gave Lions the lead with the first score of the second period and back-to-back Cugini baskets put the home side 33-28 ahead with 6:18 on the clock.
Reese hit a triple before scores inside the paint from Reese and Jordan Williams saw the lead grow to ten. Reese continued his onslaught with another triple as Lions went into the final three minutes of the half with a double-digit lead.
But Trejon Jacon’s triple sparked a strong end to the half from the visitors and Evans’ lay-up trimmed London’s lead to 45-42 going into the locker room.
Kelley’s free-throw followed by a jump shot saw Lions stay ahead early in the second half but it was triples from Washburn and Ryan Martin that sparked a strong end to the third period,
Kaboza and Reese joined in the fun from downtown and Martin scored another from the Land of Plenty as Lions took a 66-57 lead into the final break.
That offensive onslaught completely dried up in the first five minutes of the fourth period and Thomas Edwards capped an 11-0 run to pub Bristol ahead by two.
Cugini ended the run and the foul line and Martin dropped a triple to put Lions back ahead, 70-68 with four minutes remaining, and Cugini doubled that advantage with a pair of free-throws at the three minute mark.
A jumper from Cugini kept that lead at four points heading into the final two minutes but that would be the last time that Nikhil Lawrey’s team would trouble the scorers.
Miller drove to the basket for a lay-up before Jacob’s triple put the visitors ahead by one. Miller scored another off the backboard before Jacob wrapped it up at the foul line.
