After back-to-back EuroCup defeats, the London Lions produced the perfect response at the Copper Box Arena — defeating Dolomiti Energia Trento 87–71 with one of their most complete performances of the season.
From the opening tip, London looked focused and aggressive. They attacked the rim early, played with pace, and immediately set the tone defensively. Their rotations were sharper, their communication louder, and they forced Trento into tough looks inside. By the end of the first quarter, the Lions had built a 29–16 lead and looked in full control.
In the second quarter, their dominance continued. London’s ball movement created clean looks from deep, and the defensive rebounding — a weakness in previous games — turned into a genuine weapon in transition. Deane Williams anchored the defence and connected play on both ends, while Jordan McGusty found his rhythm from three, stretching Trento’s defence. By halftime, the Lions led by 22, and it felt like the night they’d been waiting for in this EuroCup campaign.
Speaking after the game, Williams said the win was as much about mentality as execution.
“I think the statement is most important for ourselves, just to prove to ourselves that we’re capable of playing great basketball,” he said. “We had a conversation at halftime — we have no excuses now. This is the level that we’re going to play at every single game.”
Trento tried to disrupt that rhythm in the third quarter, introducing a full-court press and stepping up their defensive intensity. For a short spell, it worked – London committed a few turnovers and Trento found some momentum — but the Lions quickly adapted. They broke through the press with patience, found open lanes, and re-established their lead.
Williams pointed to communication as a key reason the team handled that pressure.
“That’s something we’ve been stressing,” he said. “Communication, not just with your voice but your body language, pointing, showing that you’re ready for defence. Tonight we just did things right.”
Head coach Tautvydas Sabonis praised his team’s mindset and hunger.
“The message before the game was simple: they don’t want it more than us, but we have to want it more than them,” he said. “The guys understood the task, and in the first 20 minutes that was done. The second half was a different story, but I’m proud of how they responded.”
Despite Trento cutting into the margin late, the Lions’ poise never wavered. Their blend of inside presence, perimeter accuracy, and defensive discipline carried them through the closing minutes to a well-deserved win.
For a side under pressure to respond, this was a statement of intent. The Lions showed they can defend, adapt, and dominate at EuroCup level when locked in.
Crano Sports 
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