The London Lions reach the final of the Betty Codona Trophy for the fourth straight season, topping the Hatters in Sheffield.
Megan Gustafson led her team in points, setting up a game against Essex in next week’s Birmingham-based final.
Over the past few weeks, Stella Kaltsidou’s Lions have continued their excellent run by keeping their cup hopes alive, both domestically and in Europe.
After beating the Caledonia Gladiators in last week’s Trophy quarter-final, London went on to confirm their spot in the EuroCup’s last eight - seeking victory against Spanish side Lointek Gernika Bizkaia.
Next in their way was the Sheffield Hatters, who currently sit level on points with the reigning champions in the Women’s British Basketball League Championship.
Hatters’ coach Vanessa Ellis would have been happy with the way the first quarter went for her team, who had the game level at 17-17 with 10 minutes of basketball played. The hosts shot just 31.5% in the game, but managed to make life difficult for the Lions in the early stages of the match.
In the second quarter, London began to find its feet as a breakthrough was made - leading Sheffield by nine points going into the break. The Lions used eleven players in the match compared to the Hatters’ seven, with the extra energy proving to be a determining factor in the result. One of those playing was Maya Price, who made two of her three shots in 10 minutes of action.
With momentum now with them, the visitors picked up where they left off in the third quarter - extending their lead to 13 points with the final 10 minutes of basketball set to be played.
Despite being short in numbers, the hosts continued to fight in the game with a charge led by Madison Washington. The 25-year-old, who averages close to 15 points and eight rebounds per game, was a bright spark for the Hatters as she led the game with 16 points.
However, despite Washington and Sheffield’s best efforts - the Lions proved to be too much for their opponents - extending their winning streak to 19 in all competitions.
Watch the full game here.
