LONDON LIONS AND CHESHIRE PHOENIX MAKE BRITISH BASKETBALL LEAGUE TROPHY FINALS AFTER HEARTSTOPPING FINAL FOURS SATURDAY IN BIRMINGHAM

News

January 31, 2024

Images from BRITISH BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Results: Click for match reports

Semi-Final One: London Lions 85-75 Caledonia Gladiators (19-28, 44-52, 61-61)

Semi-Final Two: Cheshire Phoenix 92-91 Leicester Riders (19-22, 46-34, 69-57)

London Lions and Cheshire Phoenix booked their spot in tomorrow’s British Basketball League Trophy Finals after an exhilarating and dramatic day of basketball in the Final Four’s stage.

The afternoon’s second game stole the show in the ‘Second City’, as Cheshire Phoenix and Leicester Riders went the distance in a game that will be remembered for years to come.

A frantic, dramatic and breathless final quarter saw the lead change hands on three separate occasions in the final minute alone. Phoenix dramatically clinched their place in the Final with less than five seconds left on the clock, through a LaQuincy Rideau score, after it looked like the Riders had made a remarkable comeback to snatch the game after an impressive final quarter recovery.

Aaran Rai was named MVP for Phoenix after an outstanding display on the court throughout, playing an instrumental part in booking Nix’s spot in the final two, maintaining their unbeaten run in the competition in the process. Rai scored 27 points, contributing 11 rebounds and two assists, deservedly winning the accolade for his performance. .

Phoenix will get the chance to avenge their buzzer beater heartbreak from last season’s Trophy Final and will face the London Lions who came from behind to defeat Caledonia Gladiators in the opening game of a festival of basketball in Birmingham.

The Lions are looking to win the competition for the first time since 2021, whilst Phoenix will be hoping to avenge their heartbreaking defeat in the Final after losing on the buzzer, to add a sixth Trophy triumph to the history books. London Lions’ Women’s side will open proceedings tomorrow facing off against Essex Rebels in the Betty Codona Trophy Final.

Speaking after his MVP performance, Aaron Rai said:

“We say it all the time, some days it’s my day, some days it’s Qu’s [LaQuincy Rideau] day, sometimes it’s Sky [Skyler White]. We just try to play good team basketball and whoever finds the ball and is hot at the time, but as long as we get the dub, it doesn’t really matter.”

The curtain raiser saw a fiercely fought clash between Caledonia Gladiators and London Lions. . The Gladiators boasted an eight point lead at the half, but the formidable Lions led by MVP Josh Sharma clawed themselves ahead in the fourth quarter before holding their nerve to confirm their place in Final and eliminating last year’s Trophy champions in the process.

Josh Sharma showed his class and was named MVP for the first Semi-Final, he led the scoring with 19 points, whilst also contributing four rebounds and was instrumental in what was a spirited Lions comeback.

Speaking after the game, MVP and London Lions Josh Sharma said:

“I think we were just able to stick with it and keep fighting [back into the game]. We didn’t come out with the best energy, but we were able to pick that up and chip by chip, we fought our way back.”

On his individual performance: “A lot of it was because of my teammates. They were able to put me in positions to succeed, so all credit to them.”

London Lions Head Coach Petar Bozic

“We allowed Caledonia a lot of space in the beginning of the game and then of course after that, they felt comfortable and at the other end, we couldn’t make shots. Some decisions that we made was probably down to fatigue, but there is no excuse when you play for Trophy’s like today and getting into Finals.

“The guys picked up in the second half. The only thing I asked is to not rush, go step by step and that’s what we did.”

Limited tickets remain on sale for tomorrow’s Trophy Finals at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena and are available via https://www.britishbasketballleague.com/2024trophy, the Men;s and Women’s Finals will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports.