The London Lions have started the 2021-22 British Basketball season in fine form. They currently have a 100% record in the BBL Championship, having won two games from two and qualified second in their FIBA Europe Cup group, winning an unprecedented five out of six games on the continent.
Their early success has been a real team effort. Coach Vince Macaulay has galvanised a group of players to take them to a level where success on the European stage now looks a real possibility. A feat that has been unthinkable in British Basketball for years.
For some perspective, the last British team before Lions to compete in Europe was the Leicester Riders in the 2018/19 campaign. Last year’s regular-season champions were unable to pick up a win in the seven games they played in continental competition. Meanwhile, Lions have an 83% win record this season.
So who have been the standout players for the side that plays at the Copperbox?
Points
Lions have been dominant in transition this season and have consistently put-up big scores, currently averaging a league-high 98.3 points a game.
Unsurprisingly, Dirk Williams leads the scoring charts for Lions. Since returning to the BBL in July 2020, the American has been in fine form. The Alabama-born guard is currently averaging 21 points a game. Those 21 points are made up of 53% field goals made and a massive 50% of three-pointers finding the net.
Isaiah Reece follows Williams in second place. Also American, Reese joined the Lions at the start of the season with a strong CV. The Miami-born player has two years of NBA G-League experience and before that he played three years of NCAA basketball. It didn’t take the 6’5″ guard long to adapt to the British game and is currently averaging 17.7 points per appearance.
Team GB member Jordan Williams is in third place with 15 points. The former Surrey Scorchers player has had an impressive start to the season and just recently finished with a triple-double performance of 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Cheshire Phoenix.
https://twitter.com/BBLofficial/status/1456727138900586505
Lorenzo Cugini and centre Kylor Kelley make up the fourth and fifth spots with 13.7 and 12.7 points respectively.
Rebounds
Jordan Williams leads the Lion rebound figures. An average of 10.3 consolidates the argument that he’s Lions breakout player. Offensively or defensively, he is always there or thereabouts, ready to clear up anything off the rim.
Supporters and pundits’ early shouts for Isaiah Reece to be the league’s MVP are entirely justified. He may not lead the standings in points or rebounds but his consistency of 6.3 rebounds is key in a season where Vince Macaulay will be rotating players in a busy schedule.
It wouldn’t be a rebounds list without a towering 6’10” centre making an appearance. Chris Tawiah originally joined the Lions junior programme when the side were based in Milton Keynes and made his debut in the BBL when he was just 18 years old. The 27-year-old has since completed college in Iowa and played basketball in eight different countries. He may not get as many minutes as he would like but he’s averaging 6.3 rebounds a game and is a defensive rock who will prove to be a valuable asset as the season goes on.
Dirk Williams and Julian Washburn are tied for fourth place with an average of five rebounds apiece. They’re both showing their worth in a very talented Lions squad.
Assists
Once again Jordan Williams tops the charts. This time it’s in the form of assists. The forward is averaging seven a game to highlight his creativity further down the court. Not always known for his passing prowess, Williams has really developed this season and will be an integral part of Macaulay’s squad as the season goes on.
Isiah Reece wraps up his hat trick of second places with an average of 6.3 assists. Narrowly losing out to Williams but getting considerably more assists than the rest of his teammates shows how talented the 27-year-old is. He helped Lions to a maiden BBL trophy last season, and he’ll need to continue his form into the current campaign if Lions want to keep up their winning ways.
Lions captain Justin Robinson makes an appearance on the assists list with an average of 2.7 a game. Coming off the back of a long-term injury it was always going to take Robinson some time to adjust and Macaulay will be hoping he can get his guard back up to speed quickly.
Imports Lorenzo Cugini and Andre Lockhart make up the top five with an average of 2 and 1.7 assists per game.
MVP?
Although it’s far too early to be throwing around the word MVP for the season, Jordan Williams is certainly the standout player with Isiah Reece a close second. Whoever you think is performing better at the moment it is clear Vince Macaulay now has a squad that can dominate the BBL and at the very least, compete in Europe.
Main image: Photo from London Lions Twitter account
