Early in the game, both teams looked to be adjusting to playing again, with old and new teammates, new systems, and battling fatigue from a long off season. Errant alley-oop passes, fancy ball-handling off their own feet, ill-advised cross-court passes, basically any and every unnecessary risk that gives coaches ulcers, was occurring in the 1st quarter. Despite the exhibition action that was quite, well, exhibition season like, there were a few things that may be foreshadowing for the rest of the game, nothing more dramatic than the Lightning’s Ryan Anderson draining a buzzer-beating 3 from well beyond the arc to end the 1st quarter. Finally, the crowd at Budweiser Gardens had a reason to get out of their seats, other than to use the restrooms, or lineup at the concession stands. The portrait that was painted about the 1st quarter quality of play, or lack of quality, may have been slightly unfair because of the score at the end of the first frame. London had a slim lead of 26-20 after 12 minutes. The 26 points scored by the Lightning in the quarter show promise because even though they struggled to execute and were rough around the edges, they were on pace for a final score total that would mirror their regular season average of last season.

The 2nd quarter began quite differently for both teams.  Windsor started the quarter as if they had sand kicked in their faces in the quarter before.  There was a heightened edge and intensity all of a sudden to the play of the Express.  As a result of Windsor clamping down defensively against London, highlighted by blocked shots, a timely offensive charging call, and let us not forget the 8-0 run that the Express exploded with to open the 2nd quarter, the Lightning were on the wrong side of trouble. Miraculously, Windsor found their rhythm when shooting the 3 pointer.  The largest lead of the early start to the game, 8 points, belonged to the Express.  The end of the 2nd quarter was Windsor’s way of kicking sand back in the face of their bully in retaliation, as they hit a buzzer beating 3 pointer of their own, matching the one London hit to close the 1st quarter, to go into the locker room with a 54-50 lead at halftime.

The Express had all of the momentum in the 1st half, and without knowing what was said in each locker room by either coach during halftime, it looked as though nothing was going to change anytime soon.  Windsor continued to have their way with the Lightning in the 3rd quarter, as they did to close the 1st half.  Now late in the 3rd quarter, London trailed 79-59, and looked at times, like a deer caught in headlights.  There were no words that Lightning Head Coach Keith Vassell could utter that was going to stop the bleeding.  At some point, the players have to play.  London needed something to sway the pendulum of momentum in their favour.  In the 4th quarter, the already amped up intensity, grew to another level.  Now the screens were harder and moving in some cases.  Fouls committed, were more out of anger and frustration from the physical play of the game that was currently unfolding on the court.  The increased physicality was exactly what the Lightning needed.  Some trash talking, and stare downs, gave this game a playoff like atmosphere, forget the regular season.  No more nerves or ill-timed risks in the 4th quarter.  Every move and play was executed carefully with precision.  Both teams knew that in a close game, one mistake could cost a team the game.  London was getting stops, and converting turnovers and rebounds into fast break chances.  Physicality you say?  Enter Lightning Centre Royce White to the crime scene.  White was quiet for most of the game, but made his presence known and felt in the deciding moments of the 4th.  There was no moment more deciding and perfectly timed, than White’s and 1, in which he scored the basket as he was being fouled, and hit the subsequent foul shot.  The lead was cut to 5, then White fueled the team to within 1 of the now flustered Express.  London Forward Kirk Williams Jr., nailed a clutch 3 pointer to give the Lightning their 1st lead since the beginning of the game.  The Williams Jr. 3 seemed to be the nail in the coffin of Windsor.  The Express appeared deflated and noticeably defeated.  One of the most helpless feelings in sports is knowing you are about to lose, and there is nothing you can do to stop it from happening, or fast forward through it until the final buzzer sounds.  London closed the 4th quarter leaving no doubt or hope for Windsor or their fans of the final result, which was 104-95 for the Lightning, in what seemed like an unlikely comeback victory.   The home team fired the 1st shot in the war between these two rivals.

London commences the 2017/2018 NBL Canada season on the road against the Niagara River Lions, on Saturday November 18th,  and returns to Budweiser Gardens on Sunday November 26th for their home opener.  Fans of the Lightning had better be ready to celebrate another championship, if the team plays games with the intensity of rivalries, particularly in an exhibition game.  A definite and clear message was sent to the rest of the league in this exhibition season by London.  A win over the G-League champion Raptors 905, followed by a huge come from behind victory against a bitter inter-province rival in the Windsor Express, tells the entire NBL Canada that the London Lightning are not going to relinquish their reigning title without one hell of a fight.