Defense! Defense! A (fun with numbers) breakdown …

Around the Perimeter: Lightning play three in four days — including a wildly quick turnaround for a game in the U.S. Sunday. London leads league in scoring, but is last in defense. Is their style sustainable?

(Photo: Jade Sumpton).

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WHAT HAPPENED.

Nada. No games last week.

WHAT WE LEARNED.

Those promised roster changes have begun. The Lightning have added 6-foot-3 guard Milan Acquaah to the roster, while releasing defensive specialist Dexter Williams Jr.

“Milan sparked my interest because of how hard he plays and how hard he plays defense,” Lightning head coach Jerry Williams said. “I told him that he didn’t need to score, but if he did, it’s a bonus for us. We need him to come in, defend, get guys in the right spot, run the offense.”

The 27-year-old Acquaah attended Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, before beginning his collegiate career at Washington State in 2017–18. While there, he played in 30 games, starting nine of them. After one season, he transferred to California Baptist University (CBU), where he earned multiple accolades, including Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year in 2020, First-team All-WAC honors in both 2019 and 2020, and WAC Newcomer of the Year in 2019.

Over his college career, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. After graduating in 2020, Acquaah played professionally in Cyprus and Slovakia.

Don’t underestimate what is lost in Williams Jr. departing the squad, his head coach said. The loss will be felt. After all, the coach called him the “best defensive player in this league, and I don’t care what anyone says.”

The Yazoo, Mississippi, native originally signed professionally with the Sudbury Five for their inaugural 2018-19 season. Williams Jr. played four seasons in the Nickle City before joining the KW Titans last year, where he came off the bench for the team that lost to the Lightning in the BSL Finals.

He signed with London prior to this season.

“Dexter is a guy I have great respect for,” said Willliams. “He’s a great defender, but, at times, his offense has been stagnant. That means teams can scheme around him. He’s an excellent one-way player, so good at defending, but teams are starting to recognize when he’s on the floor, they can pack it in, double team our guys on offense. It put us in a bind.

“With Milan, he’s a guy that can score as well. Teams will need to account for him. He’s a two-way player. In this day and age, you have to have two-way guys.” 

Williams Jr. ends his season in London averaging 5.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in 12 contests.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

WHAT WAS AWESOME.

The narrative goes like this: Once the BSL’s defensive powerhouse, the London Lightning are now daring teams to beat them in a shootout. It’s as thrilling as it is unsustainable, because, as they say, defense wins championships.

Is that true? Let’s find out.

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For years, London basketball carved out a reputation as the league’s defensive bulwark, a team that smothered opponents. This season, however, they’re a different beast altogether – high-scoring, fast-paced, and a bit defensively porous. The transformation fairly raises the question: Can this version of Lightning basketball still contend for a championship?

First off, let’s look at the numbers for the last seven seasons (no magic to seven – they are just the easiest to track down on the league’s website and I have a full-time job to get back to …):

2017-18

London was eighth in the 10-team league in defense (giving up 111.5 PPG). Windsor led the league in scoring (116.6 PPG).

League average scoring – 106.3 PPG

London gave up 5.2 PPG over league average

2018-19

London was eighth in the 10-team league in defense (110.7 PPG). Windsor was the league’s top offense (112 PPG).

League average scoring – 105.9 PPG

London gave up 4.8 PPG over league average.

2019-2020

London was second in the eight-team league in defense (105.9 PPG). Sudbury was the league’s top offense (119.3 PPG).

League average scoring – 109.5 PPG

London held opponents 3.6 PPG under league average.

2021-22

London led the four-team league in defense (98.9 PPG). London was also the league’s top offense (108.9 PPG), with Sudbury a close second (108.8).

League average scoring – 105.8 PPG

London held opponents 6.9 PPG under league average.

2022-2023

London led the four-team league in defense (95.5 PPG). Sudbury was the league’s top offense (108.5 PPG).

League average scoring – 105.8 PPG

London held opponents 10.3 PPG under league average.

2023-24

London led the five-team league in defense (106.3 PPG). Sudbury and Newfoundland were the league’s top offenses (116.5 PPG).

League average scoring – 114.29 PPG

London held opponents 7.9 PPG under league average

2024-25 (through Jan. 27)

London is last in the eight-team league in defense (116.0 PPG). London also leads the league in scoring (119.9 PPG), with Sudbury a distant second (115.3).

League average scoring – 110.7 PPG

London is giving up 5.3 PPG over league average

It should be noted that many sports have trouble comparing teams across eras (“Could Russell’s Celtics have beaten Jordan’s Bulls?” The answer is no chance, by the way.) For the BSL/NBLC, forget eras, it’s damn near impossible to do an apples-to-apples comparison of teams across the last five years. Rule changes. League changes. Roster changes. You name it.

But let’s try anyway.

(Photo: Jade Sumpton).

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In 2017-18, London was far from a defensive juggernaut. They ranked eighth in the 10-team NBLC, allowing 111.5 PPG – 5.2 points above the league average. The following season was more of the same – eighth place, slightly better numbers, but still on the wrong side of the defensive ledger.

Then came the turnaround. By 2019-20, London climbed to second in the league, holding opponents 3.6 points below the league average. This marked the start of a defensive renaissance, culminating in a dominant stretch in 2021-22 and 2022-2023. In those two seasons, London didn’t just lead the league in fewest points allowed – they strangled the competition, holding opponents 6.9 and 10.3 points below the league average.

Those teams were a nightmare to face. They controlled the pace, locked down in transition, and made you earn every point. Opposing offenses didn’t just struggle; they suffocated.

These are the teams thought about when observers and fans alike remember London as a defensive standout. It should be noted, however, that those teams faced only three other league opponents in the dying days of the NBLC. (Remember what we said about comparing teams across eras, this is one of those cases.)

Last season, 2023-24, the first for the BSL, London’s defense was still solid, holding opponents 7.9 points below the league average. But something was changing: The BSL was showing signs of being a higher scoring league than the NBLC – much higher – with the league scoring averaging nearly nine points higher per game.

Fast-forward to this season.

London is now dead last in the league defensively, giving up 116.0 PPG – 5.3 points above the league scoring average. And yet, they’re still dangerous. London is an offense fireworks show, leading the league at 119.9 PPG (with lots of improvement to come). Their nearest rival, Sudbury, is five points behind.

So, yes, London has become the team that dares you to outscore them, and more often than not, you can’t.

“Our offense speaks for itself,” Lightning head coach Jerry Williams said earlier this season. “Defensively, we’re having some growing pains as a unit. It is still a work in progress. Once it clicks with everybody on the team, we’re going to be a very difficult team to beat.” 

(Photo: Barry Field Photography).

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So, why did London go from a defensive fortress to an offensive juggernaut? Well, it’s the same reason you’re not wearing those MC Hammer pants you totally pulled off in 1989. Times change – and so do leagues.

The BSL is designed to be a higher scoring league, from more liberal rules of play to expanding the talent pool deeper into the United States. That means teams need to change with it in order to survive.

In London, specifically, we have seen lots of changes this season:

• A new system under a new head coach.

• Pace of play is a major factor as Lightning games feel faster, with possessions piling up on both ends.

• Roster changes, like lock-down defenders Chris Jones and Dexter Williams Jr. being gone.

• Improved (OK, improving) transition game.

• An older squad struggling to keep up at times.

• Injuries – so many injuries – that we don’t need to go into now.

Finally, there’s the question of identity. After years of grinding out games, London decided it was time to embrace a more dynamic style under Williams, a coach who ushered in the league’s high-scoring identity starting last year in Newfoundland.

The Lightning transformation is fascinating, but is it sustainable? Their last-place defensive ranking is a glaring liability, and while their offense can mask it during the regular season, it could be a recipe for disaster in the playoffs.

And if anyone knows that, it’s Williams.

(Photo: Barry Field Photography).

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Last season, no team embodied the new look of the league quite like Newfoundland.

Headed by Williams, they were an offensive force, leading the league at 116.5 PPG (tied with Sudbury) in the regular season, shooting 47.6% from the field (third in the league), 38.7% from three (first), and 81.9% from the free throw line (first).

As you might guess, they led the league in offensive efficiency (1.151) but were middle of the pack when it came to overall efficiency (.032). (Reminder: A net efficiency of 0.032 means the team outscores its opponents by an average of 0.032 points per possession.)

What do those numbers mean? A team with 1.151 offensive efficiency and 0.032 net efficiency is a good offensive team with room for improvement on defense. They are likely competitive in most games but may struggle against elite teams with stronger defenses or more balanced play.

Sound familiar? Hint: This year, the Lightning top the league with a 1.132 offensive efficiency, and are second with a .047 net efficiency.

So, what lessons can be learned here:

1 |The past is prologue. We can learn a bit by comparing Williams’ team from the last two years.

Newfoundland (2023-24) was a stronger offensive team than London (2024-25) (having an Armani Chaney will do that for you!), yet London (2024-25)’s superior defense makes them the more balanced team overall, reflected in their higher net efficiency. While Newfoundland thrived on offensive firepower, London’s stronger defense and greater consistency give them the edge.

2 | This isn’t the NBLC. London had to change or risk getting left behind in a league that is following the current trends in the game. Scoring. Three-pointers. Pace. Spacing. Positionless play. Analytics-driven decisions. Just enough defense. Love it or hate it — that’s today’s game.

“The BSL is a totally different game than the NBLC,” Williams said. “It’s night and day. It’s not even the same game anymore. It’s not walking a ball up and down the court and setting up plays. It’s fast paced; guys are getting out in transition.”

3 | Defensive really does win championships. Last season, BSL teams averaged 114.29 PPG during the regular season, but that dipped to 108 PPG in the playoffs. (London was the only team to score over 100 points in every playoff game.)

Newfoundland’s problems came in the playoffs, as the league’s top scoring team averaged only 99 PPG (86, 96, and 115) in getting bounced by the KW Titans in the first round. That’s an incredible 17.5 PPG drop off their regular season pace.

When it came to postseason defense, London held opponents to 106.1 points per game; Newfoundland held its opponent to 118.3 PPG.

“Teams are adjusting to the faster pace,” Williams said. “They are scoring a lot of points, getting a lot of shots up – 100 per game. The league wasn’t like that before. The whole league is adapting to it. It’s tough now. Defense is still key, but these guys can score the basketball on all other teams. Sometimes good defense is not good enough because this league has more guys who can really, really put the ball in the basket.”

4 |Williams is an elite offensive coach. Look at the shared traits of Williams-coached teams: Strong scoring efficiency. Spacing. Ball movement. The improvement in defensive efficiency from Newfoundland (1.119) to London (1.085) suggests a coach placing greater emphasis on defense (but maybe without the exact personnel yet). The higher net efficiency of London (0.047 compared to 0.032) indicates that the coach is successfully, if slowly, making them more balanced.

“When you look at it across the board, everybody’s going over 100 points. Everybody. Defense is something that is needed, but these guys are so good on offense, you have got to be able to match their offense, as well,” Williams explained.

He continued, “Everybody is running, which is the type of game that I love. That’s my style of basketball. I like getting out and running, getting up and down, scoring a lot of points, doing all the right things and keeping the fans involved.”

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So, what about that narrative that London has fallen away from its defensive roots? I guess it’s true, but you must view it in the context of an entire league that has as well. The game, as they say, has changed. That doesn’t mean defense isn’t important; it is important in different ways.

Is it perfect yet? Far from. But in a league changing the nature of the game, and a team changing with it, the trend lines are pointing in the right direction.

WHAT NEEDS WORK.

OK, so let me get this straight? The team doesn’t play for 10 days, then they are scheduled to play three games in four days, including a wild back-to-back, home-away this weekend. That means the team wraps the Saturday night game around 11 p.m., then hops on a bus at 7 a.m. Sunday to Jamestown, N.Y. (350 KM with a border crossing away) for a 2 p.m. game. I know there are challenges to schedule making, but there is a middle ground …

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Look for London to struggle shooting the ball Monday night in Jamestown, NY. There’s the travel issue, but there is also the gym. The Physical Education Complex at Jamestown Community College isn’t Canada Life Place. The venue seats a max of 1,400, with 356 in attendance at the last game against Windsor on Jan 11. But it’s the way these smaller TBL arenas play versus some of the bigger homes in Canada. Basketball is basketball, but not all courts are equal.

STORIES YOU MISSED.

Lightning move forward, welcome new scoring

WHAT’S NEXT.

Pontiac | Wednesday, Jan. 29 | 7 p.m.

Rhode Island Kraken | Saturday, Feb. 1 | 7 p.m.

at Jamestown | Sunday, Feb. 2 | 2 p.m.