NBLC Story of the Week: London Lightning Halted in Making History

When the new week of NBL Canada games started, the big story was the London Lightning going on a historic win streak. One more in the win column and they will have set a new league record for longest unbeaten run. By the end, that streak was over and the new story was their struggle in trying to start a new one.

The run came to an end in New York, where they faced the Albany Patroons, who got off to a flying start behind Isaiah Jackson in the low post. When play resumed Terry Thomas and Chris Jones combined in the field to put the Lightning up 53-47 at the half. Cameron Forte led London in trying to hang on to their advantage in the face of relentless offence from AJ Mosby and Jared Sam.

In the end it would all be for nothing, as Albany had built a comfortable lead they were able to maintain in the final phase of the game. Mosby finished with a game-high 37 points and Sam had 23 as the American team handed London their first loss of 2022. 22 bench points for Thomas and Forte registering 18 and 11 boards were small consolation.

Disappointment for the Lightning as they came short of setting a new record streak, but had a chance to avenge the loss back in Canada. Away to the KW Titans, London had a 7-0 start, to which the Titans replied with fifteen points unanswered. Their efficiency in the lane continued into the second quarter, where Terry Thomas tried to close the gap for the Lightning. Two threes from Thomas made it a two-point game, but Eric Ferguson was able to keep the narrow lead with KW.

London began the second half with eleven points without reply, they were now riding a nine-point lead until a 7-1 run from the Titans brought it back to a single possession game. With his post-up play Forte tried to keep the Lightning in the lead but with ten points from Chad Frazier, coming both in and outside the arc, returned the lead to KW.

With nine points in a row, Amir Williams kept it close, then Jaylon Tate tied the game with little over a minute left in the contest. Frazier added one from the stripe and after the last three attempts at basket missed, it would turn out the be the winning point. He finished with a game-high 31 points and Ferguson had 23 along with nine rebounds as they handed London their second straight loss.

Chris Jones led London with 24 in the loss, Williams finished with 22 and 15 and Thomas added 20 off the bench, yet the win was proving elusive for the Lightning. They would only have to wait another day to break this streak when they hosted Flint United and put on a much more characteristically dominant show.

Forte and Thomas got the home team off to a good start and they built an early double-digit lead. The scoring mantle would be taken over by the team's rotation players: Josiah Mastandrea led everyone on the floor with 21 points, while double-doubles were achieved by Abednego Lufile (10 points, 13 rebounds) and new signing Marcus Ottey (11 points, 10 assists). They lifted the team to a thirty-point blowout over their American visitors.

Despite the setbacks of the week, the London Lightning remain at the top of the league table, trailed by the KW Titans, so far the only Canadian team to have defeated them so far. London's record win streak may be over but a new one has begun, how long will this one go on for?