James Vear is hoping that his London Lions side can put their injury problems behind them and lift the BBL Trophy for the second straight season when they face Cheshire Phoenix at Emirates Arena on Sunday.
The game is live on Sky Sports Action, starting at 3.30pm, and is preceded by Lions women facing Sevenoaks Suns in the WBBL Trophy at 12.30pm.
“It’s an important final for the club and it’s tough that we’re going into it without Isaiah [Reece], Josh [Ward-Hibbert] and Will [Neighbour], but it is what it is" said Vear. We have to do the best we can, with the players we’ve got.
"Probably the biggest thing I’ve learnt from those games is that to be successful you have to try and treat it like just another game as much as possible, playing the game itself and not the occasion. This is a team that wants and needs to play in finals and I’m as excited and eager as I’m sure the team are to see how we perform on this stage."
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for Vear who started the season coaching Lions NBL Division One team based at Barking Abbey Academy before he stepped up to coach in the BBL shortly after their BBL Trophy first round win at Newcastle Eagles.
“Obviously I never expected to be in this position” he admitted. “But it isn’t about me, this is a key game for the club and we want to come with the Trophy on Sunday evening.”
Vear knows what to expect from a Phoenix side who are one place and a win ahead of Lions in the BBL table but have played six games more:
“Obviously we played them last week, and they’re a well-balanced team with a lot of weapons” he said.
“They have six players averaging double figures, which is an amazing stat, and you can’t sleep on any of them. Teddy Okereafor, Namon Wright and Larry Austin are all tough but there’s no point in keying in on one player as they can all hurt you.”
Lions have won both BBL Championship meetings this season. When the sides clashed at the Copper Box Arena on November 5th it was Lions who provided the fireworks as Dirk Williams finished with 22 points and Kylor Kelley 18 in a 113-74 victory whereas a good all-round scoring display last week saw London win the dress rehearsal Sunday’s final 97-89. Kelley led the way with 20 points on nine-from-11 shooting, adding seven rebounds and four assists. Lorenzo Cugnini and Justin Robinson each finished with 19 points, with Cugini dishing out five assists and Robinson having a perfect shooting night from the floor including four triples.
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