Lawry positive despite final disappointment

Lions coach Nikhil Lawry remained positive despite the heartbreak of seeing his side lost 78-75 against Leicester Riders in the BBL Play-off final.

Speaking on hosting the finals at the O2, Lawry said

“I think first and foremost it was a spectacle at the O2”. “It was a terrific game and shows what an entertaining league we have. Games like that will help the league get bigger and better, and will attract more talented players who see it as somewhere worth playing at.”

Lawry was obviously disappointed with seeing his side narrowly fail to win the season’s final piece of silverware adding

“Our game plan worked well for most of the game, but they’re well-coached and hit some big shots to pull away at the start of the fourth period. So congratulations to Leicester on winning the championship to finish off a great year.

“Isaiah Reese played extremely well. We were confident that he’d have a great game. He’s a big-game player and excels when the spotlight is on him. Chris Tawiah also stands out with 14 rebounds and only a free-throw shy of a double-double. He gave us what we needed inside against Darien Nelson-Henry and Mo Walker. He had a big game and deserves a lot of credit.

Even as his side lost the game, coach Lawry remains proud of his players and the organisation saying

“It was also good to hear so much support. We were expecting a lot as we were the home team, and we certainly got it. We had some great atmospheres at the Copper Box, but yesterday was at another level.

“I want to say how proud I am of the whole club; The players, the coaching staff, the support. We’ve had some huge challenges over the course of the year and despite all of it we finished the season at the O2 and were one possession away from getting the job done. The fans have been tremendous, home games are getting louder every week and it’s become a fun place for guys to come and play basketball.”

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