Lightning Win Battle with the Titans
Sunday, February 18, 2018 (LONDON, ON) – The London Lightning and KW Titans played the first game of a back to back, home and home, series on Family Day weekend. There were 15 lead changes, 14 ties and it came down to the last two possessions of the game for the Lightning to win 136-133.
Head coach, Keith Vassell, knows defense was not where it should have been today. "Definitely defensively we were half a step behind on almost every possession. Tomorrow we have to make sure that doesn't happen. I am confident we will be able to come back around."
Although it wasn't the best defensive game the Lightning still had strong performances from a number of players. Ryan Anderson was key down the stretch, hitting big time shots. Anderson was eight of 13 from the three-point line, scoring 26 points and dishing out ten assists. In his first game back with the Bolts, Royce White, added 22 points, nine assists and five rebounds, while Julian Boyd notched 20 points (three of four from three) and pulled in 10 rebounds.
Doug Herring Jr. was huge for the Lightning on Sunday afternoon. He controlled the floor and hit the winning shot with 13 seconds left in the game. "Ryan went to make a play and I saw my man leave, and I just tried to create space. I mean Ryan's been doing a great job in making plays and finding the open man and he was able to find me open." Herring Jr. scored 19 points, handed out 12 assists along with six rebounds. "It was a lot faster paced today, it was a wide open game in transition. They made a lot of tough shots, especially both of their bigs. We just have to lock in tomorrow and be more solid defensively."
The Lightning hit the road Monday, February 19, 2018 to face the KW Titans at two P.M. in Kitchener. Monday's game is the start of a long road swing where the Lightning play eight games on the road including two trips to the east coast in March.
The next London Lightning home game is Thursday, March 15th at seven P.M. against the Cape Breton Highlanders. Tickets are available at www.lightningbasketball.ca or the Budweiser Gardens Box Office.
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