Lightning trio claim All-League honours

Cam Forte, Amir Williams and Terry Thomas were named as three of the starting five on the NBLC’s All-League First Team. Chris Jones was named to the Second Team, while Lightning players also picked up additional honours …

Three Lightning players were named to the NBLC’s All-League team Monday, including Cameron Forte (shown here), Amir Williams and Terry Thomas. (Photo: Luke Durda).

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Members of the champion London Lightning are bringing home more hardware to the Forest City, as a trio of Bolts lead the 2022 NBL Canada All-League First Team selections, league officials announced Monday.

Lightning standouts Amir Williams, Cameron Forte, and Sixth Man of the Year Terry Thomas are joined by Billy White (Windsor Express) and 2022 MVP Joel Kindred (KW Titans) on the All-League First Team. White is making his second straight and fourth overall selection on the squad, as the veteran forward and 2020 MVP was a 2017, 2018, and 2020 selection, as well.

Lightning guard Chris Jones leads the All-League Second Team, alongside Jachai Taylor (Windsor Express), Eric Ferguson (KW Titans), Jeremy Harris (Sudbury Five), and Jaylen Bland (Sudbury Five). Bland is making his third straight selection to the second team, as the floor general also earned the honour in 2019 and 2020.

“You would be hard-pressed to find a more talented collection of players who have passed through this league in a given year,” said Audley Stephenson, NBLC VP of Basketball Operations. “When you look at the mix of veterans and young stars, Canadians and international standouts, it really shows the strength and diversity of what this league offered on the court this season.”

The NBL Canada makes its All-League team selections based on performance in regular season and playoffs.

Lightning guard Jermaine Haley and Thomas, who was named Canadian Player of the Year, head the All-Canada Team selections, along with Jason Calliste (Sudbury Five), Elijah Ifejeh (Windsor Express), and Marcus Anderson (Windsor Express).

Stephenson continued, “Led by Terry (Thomas), who became the league’s second-leading Canadian scorer ever this season, this was an amazing year for Canadian stars in the premiere, longest-running Canadian league.”

Lightning centre Amir Williams joins the KW Titans’ ferocious combo of Defensive Player of the Year Tyran Walker and Joel Kindred on the All-Defence Team, along with Billy White (Windsor Express) and Dexter Williams, Jr. (Sudbury Five).

Lightning guard Josiah Mastandrea joins the All-Rookie Team, which also consists of Rookie of the Year Shakwon Barrett (KW Titans), Tyrell Gumbs-Frater (Sudbury Five), and the Windsor Express young core of Kobie Williams and Elijah Ifejeh.

Last week, the Lightning finished off its drive for a fifth NBL Canada championship with a three-game sweep of the KW Titans. The All-Playoff Team reflects that fact by consisting of Lightning stars Thomas, who was named Finals MVP, and Chris Jones, along with Finals opponents Joel Kindred and Jesse Jones, and Jeremy Harris (Sudbury Five). 

ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM

Terry Thomas (London Lightning)
Joel Kindred (KW Titans)
Amir Williams (London Lightning)
Billy White (Windsor Express)
Cameron Forte (London Lightning)

ALL-CANADA

Terry Thomas (London Lightning)
Jason Calliste (Sudbury Five)
Jermaine Haley (London Lightning)
Elijah Ifejeh (Windsor Express)
Marcus Anderson (Windsor Express)

ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM

Jachai Taylor (Windsor Express)
Eric Ferguson (KW Titans)
Jeremy Harris (Sudbury Five)
Jaylen Bland (Sudbury Five)
Chris Jones (London Lightning)

ALL-DEFENCE 

Joel Kindred (KW Titans)
Tyran Walker (KW Titans)
Amir Williams (London Lightning)
Billy White (Windsor Express)
Dexter Williams Jr. (Sudbury Five)

ALL-ROOKIE

Shakwon Barrett (KW Titans)
Josiah Mastandrea (London Lightning)
Tyrell Gumbs-Frater (Sudbury Five)
Kobie Williams (Windsor Express)
Elijah Ifejeh (Windsor Express)

ALL-PLAYOFF

Jeremy Harris (Sudbury Five)
Joel Kindred (KW Titans)
Jesse Jones (KW Titans)
Chris Jones (London Lightning)
Terry Thomas (London Lightning)