Apr 29, 2022
It was an exciting night for both the men and women’s London Lions teams at the Copper Box Arena on Friday, particularly for the London Lions women's team, who took the WBBL trophy with a 91 - 55 victory against the Essex Rebels after an undefeated season.
Having won last season’s play-off and already been victorious in the BBLCup and Trophy, Lions are now holders of all four pieces of WBBL silverware –the first team in the competition’s history to achieve such a feat.
Mark Clark, coach of the London Lions explained “To win the League at home was special, to confirm the WBBL Championship on the night we remembered Andrea was a special night. She personally helped all our London based players throughout their careers. For our group to remember Andrea was special for those players she knew it was a poignant way to remember everything she had done for them”
Helping take their team to victory were two Lions’ veterans, with Azania Stewart posting a double-double in the first half on the way to a 16-point, 14 rebound night while Jo Leedham also posted double digit points in the opening 20 minutes, finishing with 15 points, eight boards, six assists and four blocks.
The men also had a victorious night, ensuring they were guaranteed a top four finish in the British Basketball League, beating the Cheshire Phoenix 99 - 62 as a crowd of over 2400 spectators cheered them on.
It was an emotional night as the London Lions paid tribute to Coach Andrea Boreland, who was a popular and respected figure in British basketball, guiding the progress of a host of young players with the Brixton Topcats, before becoming the only female assistant coach in the BBL in recent years. She also made a huge contribution to officiating.
As a mark of respect, and with permission of her family, the Copper Box Arena held a 24-second applause for Andrea, presenting her family with a memorial trophy signed by the London Lions.
If you want to find out more about the London Lions, and their upcoming fixtures head to the London Lions website.