Lightning Battle Back to Beat Express
The London Lightning battled back from a 20 point deficit to beat the Windsor Express 104-95 in exhibition action on Sunday afternoon at Budweiser Gardens.
Fouls and turnovers were prominent throughout the first three quarters on both sides of the floor. Head coach, Keith Vassell, said the key to winning the game was staying focused and pushing through the calls, "We dig down and we just knew that we had to make plays. Marcus came in, he came in with energy and you could see that he wasn't going to let the game go. And then Royce took over, Royce did what Royce does. And as a result, you know the wave that was initiated by Marcus was followed through by Royce and the rest of the guys. We did what we had to do to win the game, although it didn't look pretty for three quarters. " Marcus Capers was all hustle and heart off the bench, he was a key reason the Bolts got the win. Capers closed the third quarter by completing an and one, on the next offensive possession after a defensive stop, he hit a clutch three then went back on defense and drew a charge. "Good energy finds everybody. That's why we got a good win." Capers finished the game shooting four of five from the field for 11 points, plus six rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes of play.
After finishing the third strong, the Lightning came out swinging in the fourth, starting with a dunk from Capers, followed by an and one from Royce White. White finished the game with his second double-double of preseason with 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. The Lightning played lock down defense throughout the fourth, and controlled the boards which lead them to hit five threes in a row to go on a 20 – 0 run and win the game 104-95.
The NBL regular season begins this Saturday when the Lightning travel to St. Catherines to face the Niagara River Lions. Coach Vassell knows they must be better on the road, "We want to be consistent, maximize the opportunities we have. On the road we want to be able to finish a little better and play defense like we did in the fourth quarter."
The London Lightning home opener will be Sunday, November 26th at two p.m. against the Halifax Hurricanes. There will be a special pre-game ceremony when the Lightning will raise their 2016-17 NBL Championship banner.
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For more information, contact:
Laura Vere
Marketing & Communications Manager
Phone: (519) 433-0634 | (519) 280-6514
Email: laura@lightningbasketball.ca
The London Lightning is part of the National Basketball League of Canada. The Lightning won the league championship consecutively in 2011 and 2012. In 2017, after a historic season, the Lightning won their third championship.
Founded in 2011, the National Basketball League of Canada is the country's only professional basketball league. NBL Canada is committed to developing the next generation of Canadian athletes and raising the excitement and awareness for basketball throughout the country. Ten teams will play in the seventh season and the league is poised for continued expansion across Canada. NBL Canada is headquartered in London, Ontario.
For more information on the team, please visit www.lightningbasketball.ca For more information on the league, please visit http://www.nblcanada.ca or www.lnbcanada.ca
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Laura Vere
Marketing Coordinator
London Lightning Basketball
75 Blackfriars St.
London, On N6H 1K8
Office: 519.433.0634 | Mobile: 519.280.6514 laura@lightningbasketball.ca www.lightningbasketball.ca www.golightning.ca