Lightning Lose in Overtime to Highlanders
Thursday, March 15, 2018 (LONDON, ON) – The London Lightning dropped an overtime decision to the Cape Breton Highlanders with a final score of 124 to 121. The Highlanders outscored the Lightning 12-9 in the extra frame. With the loss the Lightning are now tied for first place in the Central Division with the St. John's Edge.
Head coach, Keith Vassell served a one game suspension and missed the game, leaving assistant coach, Elliott Etherington, as bench boss for the evening. "They wanted it more then us. We came in just a little stagnant, we couldn't put a run together, we weren't getting stops when we needed to get a stop… the guys were mentally in there, but physically they just weren't there and that translated into the fourth quarter. They looked tired. We didn't make the plays when we needed to and they did. We just couldn't separate ourselves."
Garrett Williamson has been the most consistent Bolt this season. He kept the Lightning in the game in the second half. Williamson finished with 30 points, ten rebounds, and six assists but the outcome was not what he wanted. "It's not good enough. They wanted it more than us. Flat out. Now we go to work tomorrow and get better. Its all about peaking toward playoffs, and hopefully this is a wake-up call that we can never relax. We have been relaxing too much recently. Every team is going to give us their best shot."
Royce White was the Lightning leading scorer with 42 points, 21 rebounds, and nine assists. Kyle Johnson added 16 points with eight rebounds. Mo Bolden notched 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists and Doug Herring Jr. chipped in 13 points and ten assists.
The Lightning are back on the road for three games next week. They start things off in Kitchener on Sunday, March 18th at two P.M. against the KW Titans.
The next London Lightning home game is Wednesday March 28th at seven P.M. against the Windsor Express. Tickets are available at www.lightningbasketball.ca or the Budweiser Gardens Box Office.