And they’re off — Lightning’s BSL era has begun

Coming off a league-opening loss in Sudbury, the London Lightning will play a pair against the KW Titans this week as they get into the swing of Basketball Super League action. What to expect? Go Around the Perimeter …

(Photo: Emmah Cacciotti).

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STARTING FIVE

1. BSL play is underway. It’s new – and yet familiar. There’s a new logo, a couple of new teams, new league management, of course, and a feeling of a fresh start, but last Thursday’s Basketball Super League (BSL) opener felt a lot like last year. Lots of familiar names, for starters, similar offensive schemes and strategies, and Lightning coach Doug Plumb receiving a technical foul.

There were a few hiccups. The official scorekeeping was amiss for some reason – so much so that Sudbury’s broadcasters couldn’t cite specific stats because they simply weren’t correct. Don’t worry, that’s been fixed in the days since, and can probably be chalked up to first-day mishaps.

More importantly? The basketball was exciting, the more than 3,000 fans in Sudbury were engaged all night, and the level of play was high. Some old stars will shine, and some new ones will arise in 2024, and the BSL should be a competitive league full of interesting storylines all season.

2. ‘I’ll take BSL trivia for $200, please.’ Mark it down. With a contested baby hook in the paint, London Lightning centre Amir Yusuf scored the first points in BSL history. Despite the 124-113 road loss to Sudbury, the 6-foot-9 Kentucky native becomes a Lightning/BSL trivia answer.

Speaking of trivia … Do you know who scored the first points in NBL Canada history? That would be Ralphy Holmes of the Quebec Kebs, who sunk a pair of free throws 12 seconds into the game against the Moncton Miracles on Oct. 29, 2011. (For the record, we didn’t know this. Tip of the hat to former NBL Canada Commissioner and current BSL exec Audley Stephenson who had this info top of mind).

3. Home court advantage. London opens the BSL home schedule with a matchup against the KW Titans at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 at Budweiser Gardens. 

Just a note to London fans: The Sudbury Community Arena was sold out for the season opener on Thursday. Sold. Out. Check out what The Five power forward Samuel Daniel had to say about the crowd’s role in the team’s win over the Lightning:

“It felt amazing. The crowd was beautiful. Seeing that atmosphere out there. They told us a lot about the Sudbury fan base, but seeing it in person, and them sticking with us the whole game, even when we were down, the home crowd didn’t give up for us. They made us feel like we were in the game the entire time. That energy shaped how the game turned out.”

Consider also that the KW Titans set a home opener record for its seven-year history with a crowd of 1,699 on Dec. 31.

Home court records will define on-court and off-the-court success in the BSL, more so than any other year in Lightning history. 

Part of the sales pitch of the new league to former NBL Canada teams was the fact there would be plenty of home games on their schedules. For London, that means 20 opportunities to play in front of the home fans, including a stretch of seven straight games in late January/early February – and seven straight in late February/early March.

So, how many Londoners turn out this Saturday night?

4. Disappearing defense. There is truth to the old adage that defense wins championships. That was certainly the case last year for the Lightning, who allowed an average of 95.5 points in 39 total games in their final season in the NBLC – one that culminated in a sixth league title. That was a full five points better than second place KW. Sudbury and Windsor, meanwhile, allowed more than 108 points a game.

That type of defense was not on display in Sudbury in the opener. In fact, the 123 points London allowed was more than they did in any single game last year. You have to go back to a 116-109 loss March 19, 2023 in Sudbury to come close.

Noted Plumb postgame, it wasn’t poor defense in half-court sets, but rather a bad job getting back on D while Sudbury put up bucket after bucket in transition. Fast break points were not recorded on the game’s boxscore, but it wouldn’t have been pretty. It’s an area the Lightning will have to address immediately.

Jachai Taylor had a solid first game in a Lightning uniform, tallying 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting. (Photo: Emmah Cacciotti).

5. Social silliness. Following its season-opener loss (I know, we’ll quit writing that), the official London Lightning Instagram account (@londonlightning) posted the following: “You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again. Thank you to our fans for tuning in to the first ever @basketballsuperleague broadcast. #GetStruck #NEW3RA”

Minutes later, a post popped up from @smoothiewhatup – otherwise known as former Bolt Cameron Forte – reading: “Unacceptable Mark/Doug give me a call” followed by the tears of joy emoji. 

Sometimes, we love the internet.

UPCOMING GAMEDAYS

7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2 at KW (0-1)
7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 vs. KW (0-1)

Back-to-back battles against the Titans …

BEYOND THE BYLINE

Love this piece on Indiana Pacers centre Myles Turner and his love of building – not “playing with,” as he pointed out in a press conference – Lego. Check out this paragraph on how hoops and the building toy equate: “The Pacers center sees several parallels between his dominance on the hardwood and his ability to create his own Lego constructions. His ethos is creative, determined, precise, and exacting. He’s the conductor and the pieces are his orchestra, much like how the paint and the ball are his symphony.”