🏀 The British Basketball Play-Off Finals are back at The O2 for high stakes action with silverware on the line at one of the biggest events in British Basketball.
NEWSFLASH: The 2024 British Basketball Play-Off Finals are a wrap! Check out our BASKETBALL section here for more events coming up in or around London.
CONGRATULATIONS to London Lions who made it a famous double at the British Basketball Play-Off Finals. London Lions Women beat Newcastle Eagles 92-65 to complete a clean sweep of domestic trophies to add to their EuroCup victory. Abby Meyers was the standout player for the Lions landing 31 points. Later in the day, London Lions Men beat their Cheshire Phoenix counterparts in a thrilling encounter. The scores were level with just nine seconds remaining. Cue the redoubtable Sam Dekker who landed a three-pointer for the Lions to clinch the trophy 88-85.
2024 EVENT PREVIEW
The top teams from the elite men’s and women’s British Basketball League go head-to-head this afternoon to determine who will get their hands on the final pieces of silverware of the 2022-23 BBL & WBBL seasons, regarded as two of the most prestigious trophies on offer in the sport. Strap yourselves in for the British Basketball Play-Off Finals!
With both the women’s (WBBL) and men’s (BBL) Play-off Finals taking place in a spectacular double-bill a sell-out crowd in excess of 16,000 is expected to once again pack out The O2 and enjoy a fusion of some of the best ballers in the land striving for glory and world-class entertainment from some celebrated musical artists.
BRITISH BASKETBALL PLAY-OFF FINALS x2
WBBL FINAL @ 1.30pm ~ London Lions v Newcastle Eagles
Last year London Lions beat Leicester Riders to complete their dream of achieving an astonishing domestic double-quadruple. This followed the Lions 70-45 victory over Sevenoaks in the 2022 final. With a second clean sweep of the WBBL cup, trophy, league and play-off silverware, the London Lions women’s team cemented their claim as the best ever to play in the WBBL.
Can anyone stop this year’s Lions vintage from claiming the ultimate club prize in women’s British basketball? And if not can they do the unthinkable to claim a triple-quadruple? All roads lead to the The O2 to find out.
BBL FINAL @ 4pm ~ London Lions v Cheshire Phoenix
Revenge was sweet for London Lions when they met Leicester Riders last May in a repeat of the 2022 final. Riders had prevailed 78-75 in a thrilling final in 2022 (to secure their third title of the season) but the Londoners would not be denied in the rematch a year later. Jordan Taylor and Aaron Best led the Lions charge with 15 points apiece. The final score was 88-80 in favour of London Lions who completed a domestic treble on a memorable day at the Greenwich Peninsula.
Will the sides meet against in this year’s final? Or will a different team lay claim to the biggest men’s club prize in British basketball? And who will be the last team standing at the final whistle? The answers will be delivered at what is sure to be an unforgettable end to the season!
TICKETS, TIMINGS & TRAVEL
🎟️ Tickets for the British Basketball Play-Off Finals are off sale.
🗝️ Doors open at 12.30pm tbc.
Tip-off for the WBBL (Women’s) Play-off Final is at 1.30pm tbc.
Tip-off for the BBL (Men’s) Play-off Final at 4pm tbc.
🚊🚗 Travel tips: Getting to The O2 via tube is recommended. North Greenwich station is right on the doorstep and on the Jubilee Line in Zones 2 and 3. Get there from Central London in 20 minutes, or Stratford in 10 minutes. Plan your journey using the Transport for London website.
ABOUT THE BRITISH BASKETBALL LEAGUE
The British Basketball League (BBL & WBBL) are the top men’s and women’s professional leagues in the UK. Running from September to May the BBL & WBBL Championships determine the top teams for the regular season.
At the end of the regular campaign the top teams in both leagues progress to the BBL/WBBL Championship Play-offs. The teams play each other home and away in the quarter-final round with the winners decided on aggregate scores over the two legs. The semi-finals are also over two legs with the winners progressing to the British Basketball Play-Off Finals at The O2 in London. The current WBBL title holders are London Lions who won their third Play-off title in May 2023 defeating Leicester Riders in the final. The current BBL title holders are London Lions who also defeated Leicester Riders.
The WBBL teams for season 2022/202 were Caledonia Gladiators, Cardiff Met Archers, Durham Palatinates, Essex Rebels, Leicester Riders, London Lions, Manchester Met Mystics, Newcastle Eagles, Nottingham Wildcats, Oaklands Wolves, Sevenoaks Suns and B. Braun Sheffield Hatters.
The BBL teams for season 2022/2023 were Bristol Flyers, Cheshire Phoenix, B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, Newcastle Eagles, Leicester Riders, London Lions, Manchester Giants, Plymouth City Patriots, Caledonia Gladiators and Surrey Scorchers.
(Information courtesy of the British Basketball League website).
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