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London Lightning

The London Lightning is a Canadian professional basketball team based in London, Ontario, with home games at the Budweiser Gardens. The team competes in the Basketball Super League.

London Lightning
London Lightning logo
LeagueNBL Canada 2016-2023
BSL: 2023–present
Founded2011
HistoryLondon Lightning
2011–present
ArenaCanada Life Place
LocationLondon, Ontario
Team coloursYellow, black, white
     
General managerMark Frijia[1]
Head coachDoug Plumb
OwnershipVito Frijia
Championships6
(2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023)
Websitelightningbasketball.ca
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate

History

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The Lightning name was announced on August 12, 2011.[2] The team was a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC) that began play for the 2011–12 season and won the league's first championship. The Lightning have won the most NBLC championships with six. On August 17, former Albany Patroons and Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry head coach Micheal Ray Richardson was announced as the Lightning's first head coach.[3] The Lightning would go on to win the 2012 NBL championship, defeating the Halifax Rainmen 116-92 on March 25, 2012 at the John Labatt Centre to take the best-of-five championship series three games to two.[4]

Carlos Knox was unveiled as the new Lightning head coach on July 17, 2014.[5] He led the team to an 18–14 record.[6] Knox was dismissed in August 2015 after hiding player Jonathan Mills' positive drug test results from Vito Frijia and the league. He was replaced by former Mississauga Power head coach Kyle Julius later in the month.[7][8][9]

Julius would lead the Lightning to back-to-back championship appearances in 2016 and 2017, winning the championship in the latter.[10] He would be replaced by former Niagara College and interim Niagara River Lions head coach, Keith Vassell.[11] Vassell led the Lightning to another championship in 2017–18, but was fired after a 4–4 record in the 2018–19 season.[12]

Home arenas

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Originally opened in 2002, Canada Life Place is a sports-entertainment centre, in London, Ontario, Canada. The arena has a capacity of 9,000. The Lightning shares the arena with London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.[13]

Current roster

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

London Lightning roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
G 6 Canada  Binney, Marvin Injured  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 33 – (1990-12-15)15 December 1990
SF 0 United States  Bolden, Mo 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 35 – (1989-08-18)18 August 1989
SF 60 United States  Capers, Marcus 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 34 – (1989-12-21)21 December 1989
G/F 35 United States  Gaines, A. J. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 30 – (1993-12-05)5 December 1993
SF 14 United States  Isom, Mareik 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 30 – (1994-07-25)25 July 1994
F 13 Canada  Iyekekpolor, Otas 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 28 – (1996-06-20)20 June 1996
F 21 Canada  Lufile, Abednego 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 240 lb (110 kg) 30 – (1994-06-08)8 June 1994
C 32 United States  Phillips, Randy 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (110 kg) 29 – (1995-07-17)17 July 1995
G 5 United States  Strong, Omar 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 34 – (1990-05-16)16 May 1990
G 10 United States  Tate, Jaylon Injured  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 29 – (1995-01-16)16 January 1995
SF 15 Canada  Williamson, Garrett 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 36 – (1988-06-15)15 June 1988
Head coach
  • Doug Plumb
Assistant coach(es)
  • Canada  Nate Benjamin
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured  Injured

Season-by-season record

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Season Coach Regular season Post season
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
2011–12 Micheal Ray Richardson 28 8 .778 1st 5 2 .714 Champions
2012–13 Micheal Ray Richardson 33 7 .825 1st 6 2 .750 Champions
2013–14 Micheal Ray Richardson 23 17 .575 4th 6 6 .500 Conference semi-finals
2014–15 Carlos Knox 18 14 .563 3rd 2 3 .400 Conference quarter-finals
2015–16 Kyle Julius 26 14 .650 1st 10 6 .500 League runners-up
2016–17 Kyle Julius 35 5 .875 1st 11 2 .846 Champions
2017–18 Keith Vassell 27 13 .675 1st 11 6 .647 Champions
2018–19 Keith Vassell
Elliott Etherington		 22 18 .550 1st 2 3 .400 Division Semifinals
2019–20 Doug Plumb 15 9 .625 Season curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic
2023–24 Doug Plumb 20 12 .625 2nd 2 1 .667 -
Totals 227 105 .684 53 30 .639 4 championships

References

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  1. ^ "Mark Frijia Promoted to General Manager". OurSports Central. 26 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Lightning choice for pro basketball team | London | News | London Free Press". Archived from the original on 2012-04-02.
  3. ^ "Coach knows highs, lows | Basketball | Sports | London Free Press". Archived from the original on 2011-12-17.
  4. ^ "NBL: London Lightning | Home Page". Archived from the original on 2012-04-08. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
  5. ^ "Coach Knox takes Lightning in new direction". londoncommunitynews.com. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  6. ^ "2014-15 Standings". NBLCanada.com. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Lightning dismiss Knox". LightningBasketball.ca. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  8. ^ "London Lightning coach Carlos Knox kept test secret". The London Free Press. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  9. ^ "London Lightning set to name Kyle Julius head coach". The London Free Press. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  10. ^ "London Lightning coach, owner deny serious conflict led to coach quitting". The London Free Press. 13 June 2017.
  11. ^ "London Lightning hire new coach for upcoming NBL season". GlobalNews.ca. 24 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Lightning dump coach Vassell after lack-lustre start". The London Free Press. 11 December 2018.
  13. ^ "Arena Info". CanadaLifePlace.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
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