Riding a three-game win streak, the Lions will face an interesting test on Sunday night to say the least, when the Lions (10-3) visit The Surrey Scorchers (4-9). The Londoners sit atop the BBL league table and will be looking to cement their position with a fourth straight win.
Lions On A Roll
The Lions picked up a 99-65 win on Sunday night in London despite coach Vince Macaulay opting to bench star power forward Ovie Soko, who got into foul trouble once he found his way into the game, but did go on to finish the game with four points.
Sunday’s win speaks to the Lions’ ability to adapt to a small-ball style of play and space the floor with lots of shooters. Brandon Peel lead all scorers with 23 points while Ed Lucas and Buay Tuach both added 19. The dismantlement of Leicester came without much of a presence of Ovie Soko who is leading the team in average points per game (19.7), speaks volumes of the Lions’ game.
Another Title Coming Back To London?
The Lions own the best record in the BBL and to some will be the favorite to retain the championship after their display against the Riders. The Scorchers come into this game on a six-game losing streak and are tied with the second worst record in the league. The teams are coming into this game in two different directions, one on the up and the other stuck in the mud.
On paper this should be a Lions blow out but anything can happen out there on the hardwood. The Scorchers will be looking to ride the hot hand of their star forward Skyler White to what could be the biggest upset of the BBL season.
Will History Repeat Itself?
The last time these two teams met was 18th January in London with the Lions winning 107-98. It was a big night for power forward Ovie Soko, notching a dominant 27 points. It was a true team win with every Lion getting on the scoresheet and with five of them in double figures, Peel, Ikhinmwin and Dang-Akodo joining stars Robinson and Soko.
It also happened to be a big night for the aforementioned Scorchers forward Skyler White, who recorded a stunning 34-point, 10 rebound double-double. Scorchers fans will be hoping White can have another performance like this on Sunday. However, with the Lions in their current form, even that may not be enough.
