The Lions moved to 22-5 with an unassailable lead at the top of the table with five games remaining, sealing the regular season title in emphatic fashion against their closest challengers at the Copper Box Arena.

After leading 47-40 at halftime, London broke the game open with a dominant third quarter, outscoring Cheshire 30-16 to establish a commanding advantage that they never relinquished.

Tarik Phillip spearheaded the Lions’ decisive period, scoring 10 points and adding an assist during a blistering 90-second spell that stretched London’s lead beyond 20 points. The Lions’ defensive intensity forced turnovers and disrupted Cheshire’s offensive rhythm throughout the quarter.

Phillip finished with 16 points on efficient 6-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Kameron McGusty matched that total with 16 points off the bench, while Shavar Reynolds contributed 14 points and Aaryn Rai added 12 as the Lions showcased their depth with 45 bench points.

London’s control was evident across multiple statistical categories, shooting 51% from the field compared to Cheshire’s 38% while dominating inside with 50 points in the paint. The Lions led by as many as 28 points in the fourth quarter before closing out the 20-point victory.

Cheshire were led by Jaxon Brenchley’s 20 points, with Frankie Policelli adding 14 and Tobias Cameron 13, but were unable to recover from London’s third-quarter blitz.

The championship victory completes London’s treble, following their SLB Trophy triumph over Newcastle Eagles on February 1st and their SLB Cup final victory over Manchester Basketball at the AO Arena in March. It marks their second treble in three seasons, having previously achieved the feat in 2022-23.

More significantly, the title represents London’s fourth consecutive Championship, making them the first team in British professional basketball history to achieve this feat. The Lions have now won seven of the last eight available trophies across the SLB competitions.

“It’s good recognition but we still got five games left, we have to stay focused it doesn’t change anything with our approach, we have bigger goals,” said head coach Tautvydas Sabonis. “We won, it so happens to be that we seal the number one seed but we still have five more games to prepare for the playoffs.”

With the regular season title secured, the Lions now turn their attention to the playoffs, where they will seek to complete a rare quadruple. The top seed gives them home-court advantage throughout the postseason as they chase their fourth consecutive playoff championship.

London will travel to Bristol on Friday for their next fixture as they look to maintain sharpness through the final five regular season games before the playoff campaign begins.

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The Monsters claimed the 2026 NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship, with Edwards playing a supporting role in the program’s historic achievement.

Edwards, who committed to Eastern Arizona on a full athletic scholarship in January 2024 and was also the 2024 Hoopsfix All-Star Classic MVP, has successfully transitioned from British basketball to the competitive JUCO landscape. Her journey from Ipswich Basketball Club and IBA Copleston to national championship success exemplifies the growing pathway for British talent in American college basketball.

Edwards enjoyed a solid second year campaign with the Monsters, recording a season-high 16 points against Yavapai College in January. The guard appeared in 34 games throughout the season, contributing consistently off the bench and demonstrating the scoring ability that made her a standout in British basketball.

Her best all-round performance came in a 69-51 victory over Odessa College in November, where she recorded 11 points and eight rebounds while shooting an impressive 71.4% from the field.

The championship caps Edwards’ debut season at Eastern Arizona.

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The NBA, working with advisers JP Morgan and The Raine Group, is now reviewing non-binding offers for 12 permanent franchises in the new European league, which is set to launch in October 2027. Both London and Manchester are among the confirmed host cities.

“We have received significant interest from a range of prospective teams and investors for permanent franchise spots in a new league in Europe backed by the NBA and FIBA,” said NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum in an official statement.

“The level of engagement and the scale of the bids reflect the marketplace’s belief in our proposed model and the enormous, untapped potential for European basketball.”

According to City AM, several bids fell in the $500m to $1bn range, with multiple exceeding the billion-dollar mark. The London franchise drew the most interest, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly among those credited with interest in acquiring the UK capital’s team.

Sportico reported that more than 120 investors expressed interest overall, including private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds and high-net-worth individuals, alongside multiple existing EuroLeague teams. Notably, Qatar Sports Investments – owners of Paris Saint-Germain – did not submit a bid by the deadline but are still expected to file one and would not be excluded from consideration.

The NBA would own 50% of NBA Europe under the proposed structure – a point that has raised concerns among some potential investors, who told Sportico that the significant initial outlays required for franchise fees and infrastructure combined with the NBA retaining half of the entity presented a challenging economic proposition.

The league’s plan calls for 12 permanent franchise cities with a total of 14 to 16 teams, with the non-permanent slots open to teams from existing European leagues. Real Madrid, AC Milan and multiple EuroLeague clubs are understood to have submitted bids.

What it means for British basketball

The confirmation of both London and Manchester as host cities places UK basketball at the heart of the NBA’s European expansion. For a sport that has long operated in the margins of the British sporting landscape, the arrival of billion-dollar franchises on home soil represents a seismic shift in scale and ambition.

The key question now is how British basketball’s existing infrastructure – from the SLB Championship to grassroots programmes – fits into an ecosystem where a single franchise licence is worth more than the entire domestic game combined.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post last week, SLB figures stressed the need for alignment across British basketball’s various stakeholders. “It’s no good us just having our mission and vision, we need to be aligned with all the other stakeholders, asking what is it we’re actually trying to achieve as a sport,” SLB’s Sanjay Bhandari MBE said.

NBA and EuroLeague inch towards compromise

Meanwhile, the NBA and EuroLeague are set for further meetings – potentially as soon as next week – amid growing hopes of a resolution to their long-running dispute over the European expansion, City AM reports.

The appointment of former NBA executive Chus Bueno as EuroLeague CEO in January has eased tensions between the parties and revived talks over a compromise that could see the EuroLeague built into the NBA Europe ecosystem.

“I think for the betterment of European basketball, the best outcome would be if we came together with the EuroLeague here and that we came up with a systematic approach to growing the game throughout Europe,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last week. “That means complementing the country leagues, working together with the EuroLeague and working together with our federation, FIBA.”

If successful, the deal could pave the way for European giants including Real Madrid and Barcelona – both of whom are understood to have submitted bids – to join the new competition while maintaining their existing domestic commitments.

The NBA, JP Morgan and Raine will sell the franchises one at a time, starting with the most in-demand, giving unsuccessful bidders the opportunity to redirect offers to different cities. A shortlist of preferred partners is expected in the coming weeks.

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The Lions defeated top-seeded BYU 81-64 in Wednesday’s championship game at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas, with Rafiu contributing 12 points and eight rebounds in the title game. It marked Columbia’s first WBIT championship and capped off a dominant tournament run in which they led for 96% of their playing time across five games.

Rafiu, who hails from Ipswich, was named to the All-Tournament Team alongside teammates Riley Weiss – the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player – and Mia Broom.

Outstanding senior season

The WBIT triumph represents the pinnacle of Rafiu’s Columbia career, which has seen her develop from a promising recruit into one of the Ivy League’s most consistent performers. Known for her versatility and basketball IQ, she has been a steady presence in Columbia’s line up throughout the season.

“A few weeks ago, we fell short of some of the goals we wanted to achieve,” said tournament MVP Riley Weiss after the championship victory. “We weren’t going back to New York City without a Championship.” The sentiment captured the Lions’ determination to end their season on a high note after falling short in earlier competitions.

Columbia’s championship run was built on dominant performances throughout the tournament, with the Lions never trailing after the opening minutes of their first game. Their wire-to-wire victories showcased the team chemistry and execution that has defined their successful campaign under head coach Megan Griffith.

For Rafiu, a Hoopsfix All-Star Classic alumnis, the championship adds another significant achievement to her basketball journey that began in Ipswich before taking her across the Atlantic to one of America’s premier academic institutions. The title represents both personal validation and team success as she concludes her collegiate career with Columbia’s first WBIT championship in program history.

The victory marks a fitting end to Rafiu’s senior season and her Columbia career, cementing her place among the British players making their mark in American college basketball.

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Matt Otten’s side won the quarter-final series 183-178 on aggregate at the Drazen Petrovic hall in Zagreb on Wednesday night, completing a remarkable comeback in their debut European campaign.

It is the second consecutive year an SLB club has reached the ENBL Final Four, following Newcastle Eagles’ run to the 2025 final in Bratislava under Marc Steutel. But Manchester’s achievement arguably carries even greater weight – reaching the last four in their first ever European season, with a 9-2 record that includes a perfect 3-0 series sweep of Dinamo.

Wednesday’s decisive game looked to be slipping away early. Dinamo stormed out of the gates to build an 18-36 lead, pushing their aggregate advantage to 16 points and threatening to end Manchester’s European adventure. But this team, as they have done all season, refused to fold.

A devastating 29-12 run dragged Manchester back into the contest, edging them ahead on aggregate with just over 20 minutes remaining. From there, it was a heavyweight battle. Dinamo launched two more surges – stretching their aggregate lead back to six at one point in the second half – but Manchester’s backcourt trio proved too strong down the stretch, combining for 70 points between them.

PJay Smith was sensational. The Furman University graduate poured in 31 points on a sizzling 10-for-14 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three. His go-ahead triple with 2:17 remaining, putting Manchester 90-87 ahead, was the dagger. Smith’s seven three-pointers across the two legs tied the fourth-best mark in ENBL history.

Jordan Johnson matched the intensity with 20 points on near-perfect 15-for-17 free-throw shooting, adding a game-high 11 assists to orchestrate the offence when it mattered most. Kansas State graduate Max Jones contributed 19 points, with Gabe Osabuohien providing the defensive backbone throughout.

Manchester shut down Dinamo’s primary weapon – star guard DeLonnie Hunt was held to just three points, a masterclass in defensive game-planning. Captain Hrvoje Garafolic led the hosts with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough.

Manchester finished the game on a 25-14 run, turning a tight contest into a decisive series victory. They committed fewer turnovers (13-17) and scored more points off them (19-15) – the kind of composure that wins games in hostile environments.

The ENBL Final Four takes place on April 22-23 at the Stadthalle Weissenfels in Weissenfels, Germany – the 3,000-capacity home of hosts and 2025 German Cup winners SYNTAINICS MBC.

Manchester face MBC in the semi-final on Wednesday April 22 at 19:00 BST, with the winners advancing to Thursday’s final.

2026 ENBL Final Four schedule (BST):

Wednesday, April 22 – Semi-finals
16:00 BST: CSO Voluntari/Riga Zelli vs Dziki Warszawa
19:00 BST: SYNTAINICS MBC vs Manchester Basketball

Thursday, April 23 – Medal games
16:00 BST: Bronze medal game
19:00 BST: Final

Game 2 stats. Game 1 stats.

Watch the full game.

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Holly Winterburn and Kristine Anigwe starred on court while GB Senior Women’s head coach Krumesh Patel played a key role behind the scenes in the Athens-based club’s first Cup triumph in 14 years.

The victory ended a 14-year wait for Athinaikos, who claimed their fourth Greek Cup title with a performance that was dominant from tip to buzzer at the DAK Eleftheroupolis arena in Kavala. An explosive 9-0 start set the tone, and by the end of the first quarter the Athens-based club led 21-8. A dominant second period — which exposed Proteas’ catastrophic three-point shooting, going 0-for-18 from beyond the arc — sent Athinaikos into the break ahead 44-23. The second half was routine as the lead stretched beyond 30.

Anigwe finished with 16 points as part of a deep and balanced team performance that saw four players reach double figures. Alexis Prince was named Finals MVP after a superb 20-point display — shooting 4-for-8 from three and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line — adding three rebounds and four assists in just 21 minutes. Elena Tsineke matched Prince’s 20, while Robyn Parks chipped in with 13.

In a touching moment of sportsmanship at the final whistle, head coach Stella Kaltsidou instructed her players to deliberately foul 17-year-old Proteas player Maria-Eleftheria Arapoglou, allowing the teenager to score from the free-throw line to applause from both sets of fans.

For Winterburn, the Greek Cup is the latest chapter in a remarkable European career. The 25-year-old GB international won the EuroCup Women title with London Lions in 2024 under the same coach — Kaltsidou was at the helm of the Lions during their historic run at the Copper Box Arena.

“I can’t really put into words how special winning the EuroCup Women title with London was,” Winterburn told FIBA ahead of the upcoming Finals. “We went through so much as a group, from losing the EuroLeague Women Qualifiers at the start of that season, to getting told the women’s team would no longer exist after the season ended. Yet every hit we took just made us stronger.”

“I think it’s quite remarkable what Stella has been able to do so early in her coaching career,” Winterburn added. “To win a EuroCup Women title in her first year as a head coach and to now be on the verge of another so quickly afterwards speaks for itself.”

The Greek Cup is just the beginning of what could be an extraordinary season for Athinaikos. The club has already reached the A1 Women’s League finals against Panathinaikos, and face Turkey’s Mersin in the EuroCup Women Finals — the first leg on April 2 in Greece, the return a week later in Turkey. A historic treble is very much alive.

Patel, who serves as assistant coach at Athinaikos alongside his GB duties, adds the Greek Cup to his growing coaching CV. The former Manchester SLBW head coach was recently appointed GB Senior Women’s 3×3 head coach and continues to work with Stella Kaltsidou’s setup in Athens.

For the British contingent at Athinaikos, the Greek Cup represents another significant milestone in their European careers as they continue to chase silverware on multiple fronts.

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The draw, conducted at the House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, sets up a challenging path for GB as they seek to reach successive EuroBasket qualification having competed in 2019, 2023 and 2025. France, ranked fifth in the world, will provide the sternest test in what promises to be a competitive group.

GB’s qualification campaign begins with a double-header in November, hosting France on Wednesday 11th before facing Ukraine three days later on Saturday 14th. The team then faces Luxembourg at home on Tuesday 17th November, before the return fixtures in February 2027.

The February window sees GB travel to France on Wednesday 10th, host Ukraine on Saturday 13th, and conclude the campaign away to Luxembourg on Tuesday 16th. All venues and kick-off times are yet to be confirmed.

“I’m excited by the draw,” said head coach Krumesh Patel, who recently guided Athinaikos to Greek Cup glory as assistant coach. “It’ll be a great challenge, especially with France in the group, but all games will be difficult. Ukraine and Luxembourg have shown they can compete at a high level. We now have to start preparing so we can have a successful campaign.”

The top two teams from each of the six groups will qualify for FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2027, to be co-hosted by Belgium, Finland, Lithuania and Sweden.

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The first-ever piece of silverware in British Championship Basketball history now belongs to Birmingham, and on this evidence, it could be the start of something significant for the Rockets programme.

Eric Donaldson was the story of the afternoon. The Molten BCB Trophy MVP was flawless from the field — 7-for-7 shooting, 4-for-4 from the free-throw line — finishing with 19 points and seven rebounds in a performance perfectly calibrated for the occasion. When the biggest stage in BCB’s short history demanded somebody step up, Donaldson didn’t miss. Literally.

Zack Powell added 18 points in a continuation of the form that has defined Birmingham’s Trophy run — he scored 18 in the group stage opener against MK Breakers and 17 in the quarter-final win over Loughborough. Consistency from a player who delivers when it matters.

But perhaps the most poignant storyline belonged to Ronald Blain. Five previous finals in English basketball. Five defeats — with the Dragons, Newcastle Knights and Worthing Thunder. On Saturday, the sixth time was the charm. Blain chipped in with 16 points and six assists, and finally got his hands on a winners’ medal. After years of being the best player on the wrong side of the result, Blain’s fingerprints were all over this one.

Yorkshire started brightly, finding success attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line early. But Birmingham regrouped, and once they did, the gap widened steadily. The Rockets shot 51% from the floor compared to the Dragons’ 32%, and at their peak led by 26 points — a margin that reflected the gulf in composure between the two sides on the day.

Jordan Jefferson led Yorkshire with 15 points, while David Ulph — the walking double-double who had been so influential throughout the Dragons’ run — produced a monster 12 points and 21 rebounds, 11 of those on the offensive glass. Ulph did everything he could to keep Yorkshire in the fight, but Birmingham’s collective efficiency was too much.

The Dragons’ journey to the final had been box office — a 122-120 win over Newcastle Knights sealed by an Ulph dunk with a second remaining, a 112-108 shootout against Worthing Thunder, Corey Johnson’s eight triples to beat Falkirk in the semi. But the final asked a different question, and Birmingham had the answers.

The BCB Trophy now has its first champion. The Rockets’ name is on the trophy, and with Donaldson, Powell and a finally victorious Blain at the heart of it, Birmingham have set the standard for a competition that promises to grow.

Stats.

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The update, buried among a wide-ranging agenda at the Board’s ninth meeting of its 2023-27 term, is the clearest indication yet that basketball’s world governing body is actively monitoring the ongoing governance crisis in British basketball.

“Regarding the situation with the Great Britain Basketball Federation, FIBA has formed a working group which is in close contact and oversees all developments regarding the future of the Federation,” the official FIBA statement read.

No further detail was given on the composition of the working group, its mandate, or a timeline for any intervention. The next FIBA Europe Board meeting is scheduled as part of the FIBA Europe General Assembly on May 15-16 in Reykjavik, Iceland, where further updates are expected.

The statement comes at a pivotal moment for British basketball. Key figures across the sport met earlier this month to discuss the future governance of the sport domestically, while the NBA Europe franchise process – which includes both London and Manchester as host cities – has added urgency to the need for a functioning, credible national federation.

Britain’s status within FIBA’s structures carries significant weight. GB’s senior men’s and women’s teams are currently competing in World Cup and EuroBasket qualifying campaigns, and the country’s ability to host major international events and engage with the NBA Europe process depends in part on having a recognised, properly functioning federation.

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“Coming into this year and coming to this game, I think the focus and the mindset was completely different,” said head coach Lewis Scott, who assisted last year’s losing final. “That was a hurt, one that hurt us.”

For long stretches, it looked like another final that would slip through Myerscough’s fingers. Twenty-five turnovers across a disjointed offensive display allowed Manchester Magic — the North Conference champions chasing a first title since 2010/11 — to lead in both the second and third quarters. But when Myerscough found their rhythm, the damage was devastating: an 18-2 third-quarter run flipped the contest, and a 10-2 fourth-quarter surge slammed the door shut.

“Our biggest asset this year has been our defense,” Scott said. “We knew we were going to have to win it on that end of the floor. And thankfully in the second half, we really showed that.”

Finals MVP Sayomi Laditan embodied that defensive identity. His eight points, 10 rebounds and seven steals won’t jump off the page, but his relentless energy on the biggest stage was what separated the sides. “I didn’t really expect it,” Laditan said of the award. “I feel like I just stuck to playing my role in the game, doing what I’ve been doing all season.”

When asked what the talk was when Manchester threatened to pull the game back: “The coach was just telling us to keep our head up. They were obviously going to come back because it’s the EABL Finals. No team’s just going to put their heads down and give up. But in the end, we were able to see it through.”

Harry Sheehan top scored with 20 points and Zach Trezvant added nine points and 13 rebounds, while Jack Walton’s 22 points, 11 assists and five rebounds provided the main resistance for Manchester in a performance that deserved to be on the winning side.

For Scott, the victory carries extra weight. “This one feels like a collective championship. Every member of staff is with these guys every morning. There’s a C-suite in the practices, giving them as much attention as possible. It’s great that they’ve got the reward for all their hard work.”

And there’s no time to rest. “We travel back tonight. We’re prepared tomorrow because we have Division One playoffs starting on Saturday. Then over the Easter break, we have our European Super Finals to go to. There’s no rest for these guys.”

Stats.

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