NBLC Highlight Games: London vs KW, February 17th
There had been something between the KW Titans and the London Lightning all through the 2019-20 season. Their match-ups had all been fiery affairs and provided some of the most memorable moments in all of the NBL Canada this year.
Their meeting on February 17th was their fifth of the season, London had won three of the previous four, the other decided in overtime. That had come at the Gardens in London, this time the Titans were hoping for a win on their home court.
While the Lightning had a terrible start to the game, it was the opposite story for Akeem Ellis, who blazed the Titans to a 13-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. Randy Phillips responded for London, posting fourteen points in the second quarter.
The Lightning kept themselves within touching distance of KW, who were up by two with just over two minutes left, but Scott and Nigel Tygther put up the points which saw the visitors to the Aud leading at half time by one.
KW's first nine points of the second half came from three point territory, but London were keeping it close. Damon Lynn caught fire from the field and pushed the Titan's advantage out from two to double digits at the end of the third.
London tried to close the gap with threes, one from Tyrell Green equalling the scoreline midway through the fourth. The lead then changed five times ahead of the final stretch, at the end of which the Lightning were leading by four. Jonathan Harris added two from the free-throw line and a final layup from Lynn squared the scores at the final buzzer. This game was not yet over.
Garrett Williamson had four points for London to begin OT, Lynn responded with five unanswered and Harris contributed to make it a four point game. Williamson from close range and a three from Marvin Binney tied the game with five seconds left on the clock, the play which send the game into double overtime.
There were four lead changes to begin the second extra period, after which another three from Binney saw London go up by five with just over two minutes to go. With the game on the line, Ed Horton made three successive layups for the Titans to put them up 108-107, and a final missed attempt from Mareik Isom brought this instant classic to a close with the Titans, having left everything on the court and thrown it all at their opponents, walk away the victors.
Four of the Titans' starters finished in double digits, Damon Lynn leading with 26 points while Akeem Ellis finished with 21. Randy Phillips had the best performance of the game with 28 points and 12 rebounds for London, while Tyrell Green and Marvin Binney came off the bench to score 19 and 16 points respectively, between them sinking nine of the Lightning's twelve threes.
