The London Lions maintained their unbeaten start to the Super League Basketball season with an 81–73 win over the Caledonia Gladiators at New City College. It was another victory to extend their perfect record, but not without warning signs — the Gladiators pushed them all the way until the final minute.
The Lions came into the game off the back of their dominant EuroCup showing against Trento and looked determined to carry that form forward. They opened the first quarter with purpose, attacking the paint and knocking down early threes. Ethan Price made an instant impact with a thunderous alley-oop that set the tone for the night.
By the end of the opening period, Deane Williams had punished the Caledonia defense with back-to-back threes to give London a 21–15 lead.
The second quarter saw the visitors find rhythm through Kevin Allen, who was near unstoppable inside and finished the first half with 20 points. London’s composure, however, held. Joel Scott controlled the glass at both ends, and Amin Adamu’s buzzer-beater sent the Lions into halftime up 45–38.
Caledonia came out swinging after the break, trimming the deficit to just four points early in the third. Their defensive pressure intensified, forcing London into tougher possessions. But the Lions’ depth once again proved decisive — Jonathan Williams hit key shots at crucial moments, and Joel Scott continued to be a physical presence under the rim as London clung to a 64–59 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Gladiators refused to fade. A 7–0 run midway through the fourth brought the game back to 69–68 as Allen continued to dominate the paint. But London found an answer through their bench leaders. Scott drilled a three from the top of the key, Adamu connected with Deane Williams for a vital layup, and in the closing seconds, a ferocious Scott dunk and a huge defensive block from Williams sealed the win.
After the game, Williams credited the team’s ability to stay composed under pressure:
“It’s just part of our game plan, taking the shots we’re given and staying aggressive,” he said. “We just focus on getting one stop at a time — not thinking too far ahead, not looking back. That’s what we’ve been working on in practice.”
Head coach Tautvydas Sabonis wasn’t fully satisfied despite the result:
“A win’s a win, but we can be better,” he said. “We’re far from our potential. These games have to be taken seriously — every one of them is a chance to improve.”
The Lions now move to 5–0 in Super League Basketball, remaining the only undefeated team in the competition. They travel to Germany next for EuroCup action against Niners Chemnitz, before heading north to face Caledonia again in the return fixture on Sunday.
Crano Sports 
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