B.Braun Sheffield Hatters v London Lions – 21 January 2024
An excited crowd had filled the Canon Medical Arena in anticipation of a tough battle between the two teams and the game did not disappoint.
The initial stages of the game saw both teams exchanging buckets, creating an evenly matched start despite Sheffield missing key players due to injury. Emma Eichmeyer contributed Sheffield’s first three points, but London came back and took the lead.
This trend persisted throughout the quarter, with Temi Fágbénlé making consecutive finishes off the glass, giving the Lions a two-possession advantage. Shauna Harrison responded with a driving layup, but the visitors found their rhythm, extending the lead to six points as Karlie Samuelson nailed a three-pointer, and Ivana Katanic scored inside.
The next two minutes showcased strong defensive play from both sides, resulting in a scoring drought. Breaking the dry spell, the Hatters surged forward, with Naomi Campbell finding her shooting touch to tie the game at 15.
Savannah Wilkinson and Melita Emmanuel-Carr traded lay-ups, ending the first quarter with the teams level. The second quarter began with both teams continuing to score at a high pace. Harrison gave Sheffield the lead with an outside shot, but London closed the gap on the next possession and went on a nine-two run, giving them a 39-30 lead.
Despite Harrison’s efforts to bring the Hatters back, London extended their lead to 41-32 at halftime with foul shots from Winterburn.
In the second half London widened the gap to13 points before Desiree Ramos hit a three for Sheffield.
In a surprising turn, Sheffield scored two quick baskets with Eichmeyer’s layup and Emanuel-Carr’s steal for an easy finish. Although this cut the deficit to single digits, the Lions responded, adding four points to reestablish a 12-point lead.
Madison Washington made three out of four free throws, and Campbell added a two to reduce the difference to nine. However, the visitors, led by Abby Meyers and Maya Price, finished the quarter with a 59-46 lead.
Harrison and Price exchanged baskets at the start of the fourth quarter. A tough turnaround from Campbell was the last basket for nearly two minutes, as both teams tightened up defensively. With Sheffield’s place in the final at stake, they intensified their efforts, scoring four consecutive buckets to narrow the gap to Washington’s takeover. Samuelson’s three-pointer halted the Lions’ momentum, but Emanuel-Carr cut the London lead to eight.
As time ran down, the experience of Samuelson and Fagbenlé became evident, pushing the difference back into double digits. Fantastic effort by the Hatters and we move on to the League now with the next opponents being; You guessed it – London Lions away on 4 February 2024.
Player of the Game: Shauna Harrison earned the Player of the Game title for her outstanding performance. She contributed 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 steals.
Final Score
60 Sheffield Hatters – 72 London Lions