NBLC Game of the Week: Scoring Clinic in Big Rivalry Game

It's the biggest and most enduring rivalry of the NBL Canada: the London Lightning and Windsor Express, just hours away from one another, have jostled for supremacy not only in the same pocket of Ontario but also the league as a whole. It's a match-up that has long produced plenty of exciting results and in their first 2022 match-up in London was no exception.

Both teams arrived at this point under very different circumstances: the Lightning, of course, were yet to see a loss in the season, though this came with the added pressure of keeping that unbeaten streak intact. In addition they were without head coach Doug Plumb, his place being taken by assistant Michael Provenzano.

Meanwhile, after a shaky start to 2022, Windsor got their first win in week two, blowing out the Dayton Flight and followed up with a fourteen-point victory over the Kokomo Bobkats the day before they made the short journey to the Gardens.

When the game itself tipped off, Billy White started out hot from beyond the arc, giving Windsor an early seven-point lead. The gap shrank after London had nine points unanswered, which was followed by a one-point lead changing hands five times. After which more three-point success from the Express saw them end an eventful first quarter in the lead, where White had already amassed fourteen points to his name.

London went on a 12-2 run in the low post to begin the second quarter, putting them up by eight and soon after they were leading by double digits. Windsor newcomers Kobie Williams and Tanner Struckman picked up some late points for the team, who were still trailing by fourteen at the end of the half.

Play slowed in the third quarter, with London finding the most open looks in the paint. They reached 95 points after three quarters and were leading the Express by fifteen with twelve minutes still to play. London's rampant offence continued into the fourth, with the most production coming from Terry Thomas and Cameron Forte, the latter scoring fifteen points and grabbing nine boards in the fourth alone.

Windsor's chances came less often and they were led by Kobie Williams, who had ten points in the period. Yet nothing he or anyone else on the team could do would help Windsor catch up to London, who went running away with the win by 123 points to the Express's 104.

Reigning MVP White finished with a double-double, 23 points and 16 rebounds, as did Marcus Anderson who scored 19 and grabbed 10 total boards for Windsor in the loss. Kobie Williams was the biggest spark off the bench with 22 points for the Express. On the other end Jaylon Tate had a double-double of his own, 19 points and 11 assists, while Terry Thomas had 24 off the bench. All very impressive numbers, but they were eclipsed by Cameron Forte's performance, finishing with a game-high 44 points alongside 18 total rebounds.

While it ended as a blowout, this game began as a close encounter and though both sides put up plenty of points in different places, it was the Lightning who took charge and turned it around for themselves. Their performance against Windsor serves as a perfect example of how the Lightning's depth and aggression which has yet to see them defeated in 2022, as their win streak reached seven games with success here at home.