The 2019–20 BBL season was the 43rd season for the London Lions in the BBL, and the 8th under the banner of London Lions.
2019–20 London Lions season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Vince Macaulay |
Captain | Joe Ikhinmwin |
Arena | Copper Box Arena |
BBL results | |
Record | 10–4 (.714) |
Ladder | 2nd |
BBL Cup | Quarterfinalist (lost to Riders 72–63) |
BBL Trophy | First round (lost to Kestrels 82–92) |
Playoff finish | N/A[1] |
Stats at BBL.org.uk | |
Player records | |
Points | Soko 20.2 |
Rebounds | Peel 8.9 |
Assists | Robinson 4.9 |
The club won its first regular season title with a 99–80 victory over the Newcastle Eagles at the Eagles Community Arena on April 26, 2019.[2]
The London Lions played their home games at the 7,000 seat Copper Box Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.
Following a strong 2018-19 season where the Lions finished 27-6, they had many players depart the club such as Kervin Bristol, Ladarius Tabb, Jordan Spencer and Dzaflo Larkai.
In the 2019-20 season the Lions quickly resigned two-time BBL MVP Justin Robinson, Andre Lockhart and Lions captain Joe Ikhinmwin with the return of American forward Brandon Peel.[3][4][5][6]
The Lions made one of the biggest signings in the BBL history and signed Ovie Soko to start at the small-forward position, along with new signings of Spanish guard Jorge Romero, Jordan Whelan from Worcester Wolves, Americans Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan from Cheshire Phoenix and Jordan Jackson.[7][8][9][10][11]
The Lions also, signed Jules Dang-Akodo and Samuel Toluwase from the inaugural London City Royals team from the 2018–19 BBL season.[12][13] Lions later signed French big man Alioune Tew at the center position.[14]
On December 13, 2019, the Lions announced that the Club and guard/forward Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan have “mutually” agreed to part ways.[15] With the departure of Allen-Jordan the Lions signed promising Ethiopian/American forward Buay Tuach on January, 10th, 2020.[16] On January 17, 2020, the Lions signed British point guard Ogo Adegboye to replace Spanish guard Jorge Romero.[17]
With the withdrawal of the London City Royals, Edmir Lucas signed with the London Lions to replace Ogo Adegboye on February 12, 2020, for the remainder of the 2019–20 BBL season.[18] On February 14, 2020, Lucas scored 8 points in 14 minutes of action in a 66-75 away win against the Bristol Flyers in only his second game with the team.
On 17 March 2020, the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. On 1 June 2020, the season was cancelled, with no League or Playoffs champions declared.[19]
Roster
editNote: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.
2019–20 London Lions roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Updated: February 12, 2020 |
Depth chart
editPos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 | Development |
---|---|---|---|---|
C | Ovie Soko | Alioune Tew | Jordan Jackson | |
PF | Brandon Peel | Samuel Toluwase | ||
SF | Buay Tuach | Joe Ikhinmwin | Jordan Whelan | |
SG | Jules Dang-Akodo | Edmir Lucas | ||
PG | Justin Robinson | Andre Lockhart |
Cup
editThe newly-formatted BBL Cup will begin the 2019–20 season on Friday 20 September, with the group stages running until Sunday 24 November. The 12 teams have been split into 2 geographical groups, North and South. Each team will play each other twice (once home, once away) with the top 4 teams in each group progressing to the Quarter Finals. Single-legged quarter finals and two-legged semi finals matches will determine the two finalists who will contest the Cup Final on Sunday 26 January at the Arena Birmingham.
South Group
editPos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | London City Royals | 10 | 8 | 2 | 860 | 793 | +67 | Quarter Finals |
2 | Worcester Wolves | 10 | 6 | 4 | 798 | 798 | 0 | |
3 | Bristol Flyers | 10 | 6 | 4 | 835 | 837 | −2 | |
4 | London Lions | 10 | 5 | 5 | 892 | 872 | +20 | |
5 | Surrey Scorchers | 10 | 3 | 7 | 829 | 862 | −33 | |
6 | Plymouth Raiders | 10 | 2 | 8 | 849 | 901 | −52 |
Game log
editTrophy
editThe BBL Trophy retains the same format as introduced in 2018–19. The 12 BBL teams are joined in the first round draw by 4 invited teams; Solent Kestrels and Worthing Thunder from the English Basketball League, Dunfermline Reign from the Scottish Basketball Championship and Basketball Wales. There is an open draw to form a bracket, mapping out each team's path to the final which will be held, for the 8th consecutive year, at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.
Game log
edit2019–20 game log | ||||||||||||||||||
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BBL Trophy 1st Round: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0)
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Championship
editLadder
editThe BBL Championship will run from Friday 6 December – Sunday 19 April. All 12 teams will play each other twice, once home once away, for a 22-game regular season. The top 8 teams will qualify for the end of season Playoffs. London City Royals withdrew from the league,[20] and their 1–3 record was expunged.[N 1]
On 17 March 2020, the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. On 1 June 2020, the season was cancelled, with no League or Playoffs champions declared.[19]
Regular-season standings
editPos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Glasgow Rocks | 15 | 12 | 3 | 1275 | 1089 | +186 | 24 | |
2 | London Lions | 14 | 10 | 4 | 1280 | 1159 | +121 | 20 | Basketball Champions League qualifying rounds[22] |
3 | Worcester Wolves | 14 | 9 | 5 | 1173 | 1106 | +67 | 18 | |
4 | Leicester Riders | 12 | 8 | 4 | 1048 | 975 | +73 | 16 | |
5 | Newcastle Eagles | 13 | 7 | 6 | 1147 | 1119 | +28 | 14 | |
6 | Cheshire Phoenix | 13 | 7 | 6 | 1079 | 1060 | +19 | 14 | |
7 | Sheffield Sharks | 13 | 7 | 6 | 1060 | 1060 | 0 | 14 | |
8 | Bristol Flyers | 12 | 5 | 7 | 937 | 992 | −55 | 10 | |
9 | Surrey Scorchers | 14 | 5 | 9 | 1243 | 1340 | −97 | 10 | |
10 | Plymouth Raiders | 13 | 3 | 10 | 1098 | 1185 | −87 | 6 | |
11 | Manchester Giants | 13 | 0 | 13 | 1003 | 1258 | −255 | 0 | |
12 | London City Royals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew from the league |
Game log
edit2019–20 game log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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December: 4–1 (Home: 3–0; Road: 1–1)
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January: 3–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 2–1)
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February: 2–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–1)
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March: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1)
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April: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
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Player statistics
editBBL Championship statistics
editCategory | Player | Pld | Totals | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|
Points per game | Ovie Soko | 12 | 242 | 20.2 |
Rebounds per game | Brandon Peel | 14 | 125 | 8.9 |
Assists per game | Justin Robinson | 13 | 64 | 4.9 |
Steals per game | Justin Robinson | 13 | 19 | 1.5 |
Blocks per game | Alioune Tew | 14 | 13 | 0.9 |
FG% | Samuel Toluwase | 11 | 11-17 | 64.7% |
3FG% | Samuel Toluwase | 11 | 4-7 | 57.1% |
FT% | Justin Robinson | 13 | 35-40 | 87.5% |
BBL Cup statistics
editCategory | Player | Pld | Totals | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|
Points per game | Brandon Peel | 11 | 252 | 22.9 |
Rebounds per game | Brandon Peel | 11 | 117 | 10.6 |
Assists per game | Justin Robinson | 11 | 58 | 5.3 |
Steals per game | Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan | 11 | 20 | 1.8 |
Justin Robinson | 11 | 20 | 1.8 | |
Blocks per game | Brandon Peel | 11 | 12 | 1.1 |
FG% | Alioune Tew | 4 | 16-24 | 66.7% |
3FG% | Brandon Peel | 11 | 17-32 | 53.1% |
FT% | Justin Robinson | 11 | 38-42 | 90.5% |
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ Sutherland, Jonathan (1 June 2020). "Basketball: Glasgow upset as BBL ends season without awarding title". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "London Lions crowned BBL champions". Newham Recorder. Archant. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ "IT'S A THREE FROM ROBINSON". thelondonlions.com. August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
- ^ "LOCKHART RETURNS FOR FIFTH SEASON". thelondonlions.com. September 6, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
- ^ "NUMBER 7 JOE IKHINMWIN MAKES IT 7". thelondonlions.com. September 3, 2019. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "BRANDON PEEL RE-SIGNS WITH THE LIONS!". thelondonlions.com. July 15, 2018. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
- ^ "LOVE IS IN THE AIR AS LIONS SIGN UP OVIE SOKO". thelondonlions.com. November 20, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^ "Lions Go Spanish With Romero". thelondonlions.com. August 20, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- ^ "Lions Acquire Whelan". thelondonlions.com. August 27, 2019. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
- ^ "JORDAN JETS IN". thelondonlions.com. August 22, 2019. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "BRIT JORDAN JACKSON CHECKS IN". thelondonlions.com. September 9, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ "DANG-AKODO STRENGTHENS LIONS". thelondonlions.com. October 18, 2019. Archived from the original on October 24, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
- ^ "Toluwase Inked For Season". thelondonlions.com. October 18, 2019. Archived from the original on October 24, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
- ^ "TEW JOINS THE LIONS". thelondonlions.com. November 7, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
- ^ "Dii'Jon Allen-Jordan and London Lions Part Company". thelondonlions.com. December 13, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Lions Acquire Tuach". thelondonlions.com. January 10, 2020. Archived from the original on January 10, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ "GB International Ogo Joins Lions". thelondonlions.com. January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Edmir Lucas signs at London Lions". afrobasket.com. February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ a b "BBL Cancels Remainder 2019/20 Season; Looks Ahead to 2020/21". British Basketball League. The Basketball League Ltd. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "Royals withdraw from the BBL". British Basketball League. The Basketball League Ltd. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ "Disciplinary Panel findings on Royals v Rocks". British Basketball League. The Basketball League Ltd. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
Based on these findings and in line with the BBL regulations, the Disciplinary Panel has awarded the game to Glasgow Rocks with a score of 20 to 0, and the Royals have been fined an undisclosed sum.
- ^ "Strongest BCL lineup to date ahead of season 5". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 3 July 2020.