Lightning will strike Dec. 28 for Super League tip-off
The schedule is set. The London Lightning will begin a new era Dec. 28 in Sudbury for the first game in the new Basketball Super League (BSL). Their inaugural season will run through Apr. 24 — with playoffs in May.
(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).
* * *
The NBL Canada may be gone, but that won’t keep the London Lightning from looking to hang another championship banner in the rafters at Budweiser Gardens. With six NBL Canada titles to its name – including the final one in the league’s history, last spring – the Lightning will officially begin their quest for a first Basketball Super League (BSL) championship in 77 days.
On Thursday, the BSL released its 20-week regular-season schedule for 2023-24, which tips off Thursday, Dec. 28, when the Sudbury Five welcome the London Lightning to the Nickel City in an Opening Night event.
Loosely modelled on the premiere professional soccer league in Europe, the BSL brings together the top teams from the former NBL Canada and the U.S.-based Basketball League (TBL), with six teams set for the 2023-24 season. There is a possibility of a relegation system, where teams could be promoted into or out of the league based on performance.
Canada will be the dominant geography of the league, with the four former NBL Canada teams, along with the TBL’s Newfoundland Rogues (St. John’s) and Montreal Tundra starting off its inaugural season.
The league plans to add six additional teams in the United States and Canada for its 2024-25 season.
“We are starting this new premier product with six quality teams – each in their own right have made an impact on the game in their local communities,” said David Magley, BSL President. “We have champions and markets that historically supported pro basketball and we have listened to our fans (especially in Canada) asking to see us play primarily in the winter months.”
London will play a 32-game schedule, with 20 home games. The league’s regular season schedule also features 13 TBL franchises crossing over to play BSL opponents. London will face six TBL opponents – the Connecticut Crusaders, Glass City Wranglers, LA Ignite, Pontiac Pharaohs, Rhode Island Kraken, and West Virginia Grind.
Like last season with the TBL-NBL Canada partnership, all wins and losses will be counted towards individual records, and teams will compete for their respective league championships at the end of the regular season. A playoff format will be announced at a later date.
With the full BSL Canada schedule now released, let’s take a closer look at the season ahead:
FINAL REMATCH | Fans will need to wait until Jan. 24 for a rematch of the 2023 NBL Canada Finals, as the Windsor Express travel to London for the first matchup between the two squads since London won the title on its home court back in May.
ALL-STAR WEEKEND | The Sudbury Five will play host to the first-ever BSL All-Star Weekend, Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, 2024.
HOME COOKIN’ | Part of the sales pitch of the new league to former NBL Canada teams was the fact there would be plenty of home games on their schedules. For London, that means 20 opportunities to plan in front of the home fans, including a stretch of seven straight games in late January/early February – and seven straight games in late February/early March.
LONG ROAD TO THE OPENER | Lightning Head Coach Doug Plumb will not love starting the season on the road in Sudbury (not only is it a long drive, it’s arguably the most difficult road arena for opponents, thanks in part to the passionate home fans).
ON THE ROAD | Road trips max out at four games during the season. The longest road trip looks to be four games in 11 days (including three straight in Newfoundland), Feb. 15-25. Draw that back a couple of days, however, and London will be playing five of six games on the road, spanning nearly 5,200 km of travel in two weeks – from Sudbury to London to Newfoundland to Windsor.
PUT AWAY THE PASSPORTS | Despite playing six TBL opponents, the Bolts won’t be required to cross into the United States this season. Each of those games will be played in London.
CHAMPIONSHIP TRADITION | The Lightning won the first-ever NBL Canada championship in 2011-12. This will be the franchise’s second opportunity to launch a new league by taking home its ultimate hardware.
LONDON LIGHTNING 2023-24 FULL SCHEDULE
at Sudbury | Thursday, Dec. 28
at KW | Tuesday, Jan. 2
KW | Saturday, Jan. 6
Montreal | Thursday, Jan. 11
at Sudbury | Friday, Jan. 12
at Montreal | Sunday, Jan. 14
Rhode Island* | Friday, Jan. 19
Rhode Island* | Sunday, Jan. 21
Windsor | Wednesday, Jan. 24
Connecticut* | Saturday, Jan. 27
Montreal | Sunday, Jan. 28
Windsor | Sunday, Feb. 4
Pontiac* | Wednesday, Feb. 7
at Sudbury | Saturday, Feb. 10
Sudbury | Tuesday, Feb. 13
at Newfoundland | Thursday, Feb. 15
at Newfoundland | Saturday, Feb. 17
at Newfoundland | Sunday, Feb. 18
at Windsor | Sunday, Feb. 25
Windsor | Tuesday, Feb. 27
Newfoundland | Friday, March 1
Windsor | Sunday, March 3
Sudbury | Tuesday, March 5
Glass City* | Sunday, March 10
KW | Sunday, March 17
Kokomo* | Tuesday, March 19
at Windsor | Friday, March 22
at Montreal | Saturday, March 30
Newfoundland | Monday, April 1
LA Ignite* | Friday, April 12
at KW | Wednesday, April 17
West Virginia* | Wednesday, April 24
* TBL opponent
Natalie Thirsk, a para athlete, has become a Canadian record holder in three short years. Her cerebral palsy doesn’t define her, but she’s a passionate advocate for persons with disabilities. Will she one day compete at the Paralympics?