Around the Perimeter: Lightning already prepping for playoffs

Lightning coach Doug Plumb has been spreading out the minutes, and players are getting comfortable in their roles. Meanwhile, four are headed to All-Star Weekend, four alumni are named to All-Time Team, and much more from columnist Jason Winders …

Jordan Jensen-Whyte did it all last Sunday, racking up 29 points and 16 rebounds, along with 7 assists and 4 steals in a win over Flint United. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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STARTING FIVE

1. Five for fighting. A quick check of the score sheet and you’ll quickly notice that London used only five players in its 95-88 win over Flint United Sunday in Flint, Mich. The starting five of Josiah Mastandrea, Lance Adams, Abednego Lufile, Amir Williams, and Jordan Jensen-Whyte each logged 48 of 48 minutes, an iron man-like streak of play that might mean more later in the season than it did in the moment.

Williams and Jensen-Whyte have been lineup staples, but Mastandrea and Lufile had only played 53 and 153 total minutes, respectively, all season. Adams had just one Lightning game under his belt.

“We’re preparing for something bigger,” Plumb said. “I’ve always said to these guys that we need them all – Nos. 1-12. There’s going to come a time where we need them even if they’re not playing big minutes. We might need them in terms of their energy on the bench. Or need them in practice to get guys better. Or need them as part of the team culture. And there’s going to come a tangible time where we really need them to perform in the game, and they have to be ready.”

And it seems this five was ready: Jensen-Whyte scored a season-high 29 points Sunday, along with 16 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals. Williams (23 points, 11 rebounds) and Lufile (13 points, 14 rebounds) posted double-doubles; Mastandrea and Adams sank four 3s each.

The Lightning are tired and banged up, and the Flint game was the back half of a Great Lakes State twin bill. London defeated Lansing 112-94 on Saturday night. London had already beaten Flint, 113-83, at Budweiser Gardens on April 3. A week later (and a country away), nobody expected the gap in talent between the two teams to narrow.

“Going in, I had no intention of only playing five guys. Maybe play those guys 40 minutes each,” Plumb said. “When you play a back-to-back and you’re playing a team that you just beat by 30 points, you might need a little bit extra motivation, a little bit extra challenge to keep the guys locked in. What better challenge was there than this? OK, you might be better than these guys, but can you beat them with only five guys on a back-to-back with guys who don’t typically play? They stepped up to the plate and it was big time.”

London was trailing 24-21 after the first quarter, and was outscored in the second half, 45-39, but they managed to hang on thanks to the lead they built up during a 35-point second-quarter outburst.

Even when the game got close in the second half, and the guys were visibly tired, Plumb stuck with his guys on the court.

“Even if we went down in that one, for those guys to get the trust of their teammates that they can do hard things and that they’re prepared, it creates a level of trust and appreciation for each other that we’re all in this together,” Plumb said. “The level of trust those guys now have is incredible. It was cool from a chemistry standpoint.”

2. Excitement in the booth. The Flint game was bizarre beyond London using only five players. This was also the craziest announcing crew in the short life of the NBLC-TV, as the local broadcast was a cross between a high schooler’s Super Smash Bros. Twitch stream and morning zoo radio. (And yes, that was a DJ air horn sound effect every now and then.) Go watch it now and enjoy.

3. Give them a(n All-Star) Break. Perhaps it’s a perfect time for the All-Star Break to come around, as this Lightning team is starting to feel the soreness associated with the rocket start they’ve been on. Heavy-minute guys like Jermaine Haley Jr. (groin), Mareik Isom, Terry Thomas, Chris Jones (toe), and Jaylon Tate (knee) have all been a bit banged up. Jones and Haley will play in the All-Star Game on Saturday, but the others will benefit from eight days off. In fact, Plumb has been working the lineup a bit in recent games to extend the break, as well.

All of the walking wounded sat Sunday, and if the head coach can keep them out Thursday against Sudbury, too, then that break extends to almost two weeks off for the guys carrying the heaviest load. “We’ll see what we can do, but that could get some of these guys 12 days off and really let them gear up for playoffs. It puts us in an advantageous position.”

After Thursday in Sudbury, London does not play again until April 22 at Windsor.

4. The stars at night are big and bright (Clap. Clap. Clap.) deep in the heart of Syracuse. London Lightning standouts Jermaine Haley Jr., Chris Jones, and Amir Williams, along with head coach Doug Plumb, will be among the stars shining bright this weekend when the best of the NBL Canada head south of the border to play the best of The Basketball League (TBL) in the inaugural NBLC-TBL All-Star Weekend, April 15-16 in Syracuse, New York. Jones will represent the NBL Canada in the three-point shooting competition; Haley Jr. will represent the NBL Canada in the slam dunk competition.

“These are not only guys playing well right now, but they are also good ambassadors of our team and of the league,” Plumb said. “We really want to get this (partnership with the TBL) off the ground and showcase the league. These guys are not only deserving of the nod, but they embody what we’re all about.”

Members of the full NBLC squad include: Marcus Anderson, Windsor Express; Zena Edosomwan, Sudbury Five; Eric Ferguson, KW Titans; Chad Frazier, KW Titans; Jermaine Haley Jr., London Lightning; Jeremy Harris, Sudbury Five; Chris Jones, London Lightning; Joel Kindred, KW Titans; Jachai Taylor, Windsor Express; Billy White, Windsor Express; Amir Williams, London Lightning; and Dexter Williams Jr., Sudbury Five.

Visit the All-Star Weekend website for tickets. All events will be broadcasted on TBLTV and NBLCTV.

Amir Williams, along with teammates Chris Jones and Jermaine Haley Jr. (plus head coach Doug Plumb) will participate in the first NBLC-TBL All-Star Weekend Apr. 15-16 in Syracuse, NY. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

5. Playing among the greats. If you want to see the impact London has made on Canadian hoops history, look no further than the NBL Canada’s 10th Anniversary All-Time Team, rolled out in advance of NBLC-TBL All-Star Weekend. Four legendary Lightning alumni were named among the 10 greatest players in league history, including:

No. 3. Gabe Freeman, London Lightning (2011-13), St. John Mill Rates (2015-16), St. John Riptide (2016-17), and Halifax Hurricanes (2018-20).

“There has never been a more energetic player to step onto an NBL Canada court – ever,” said Audley Stephenson, NBLC Vice-president of Basketball Operations. “Active, engaged, and in constant motion, he could impact the game in so many ways. Big points. Big rebounds. Big moments. While a fierce competitor on the court, he also had a heart of gold when it came to the fans, the community, and the kids. This guy was a hands-down MVP in all aspects of life.”

Freeman brought home the triple crown in the league’s inaugural season, winning the NBLC MVP, NBLC Finals MVP, and a championship in 2012. The 6-foot-6-inch American forward was one of the league most dangerous offensive weapons, still ranking among the all-time leaders in points (No. 5), field goals (No. 6), rebounds (No. 5), and assists (No. 5).

Gabe Freeman during the 2011 season. (Photo: Kedar Pai / London Lightning).

No. 6. Ryan Anderson, Ottawa SkyHawks (2013-14), Windsor Express (2014-15, 2018-19), London Lightning (2015-18)

“An ultimate competitor who loved the big moments, Ryan didn’t mind reminding opponents and fans how good he was with some amazing plays that just seemed so effortless,” Stephenson said. “He was an incredible leader, both on and off the court. He loved this league, loved giving back to the fans, and he did it all his own way.”

Anderson was a three-time NBLC champion (2015, 2017, 2018), a run that included an NBLC Finals MVP with the Lightning in 2017. He is still the all-time league leader in rebounds (1,411) and three-pointers (697), while sitting in second in all-time points (3,419) and steals (371). The 6-foot-4-inch guard also ranks among the Top 10 in games played, field goals, assists, and blocked shots.

No. 9. Marvin Phillips, London Lightning (2012-19), KW Titans (2019-20).

“On the court, this guy was instant impact – a powerful presence, a strong, skilled player who could do so much on the court,” Stephenson said. “Off the court, however, he was so inviting to fans, a favourite wherever he went, wherever he played. The way he engaged with fans was incredible. People loved him.”

Phillips was “a rebounding machine” who constantly ranked among the league’s Top 10 and now sits No. 3 on the NBLC career rebounding list with 1,317. The 6-foot-7-inch power forward won a championship with The Bolts in 2013 when he was named both NBLC Playoff MVP and Newcomer of the Year.

No. 10. Garrett Williamson, London Lightning (2013-2020).

“From the moment he entered the league, you knew there was something special about him,” Stephenson said. “Here was this amazing young athlete and competitor who evolved over time into this wiser, veteran player who mentored younger players, but never saw his intensity wane.”

Williamson won the Canadian Player of the Year Award in 2013-14 and was a two-time NBLC champion. A postseason standout, the 6-foot-5-inch Canadian-American is the all-time leader in playoff points, field goals, and free throws.

Doug Herring Jr. (2017-18) and Royce White (2016-18) were also named honourable mention members of the team.

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LIGHTNING NOTES

Jermaine Haley (groin) was placed on Injured Reserve (IR), retroactive to April 3, and the Lightning signed Lance Adams as IR designate on April 6. Cameron Forte (knee) and Marcus Ottey (illness) were placed on IR on April 9. … Jordan Jensen-Whyte was named Canadian Player of the Week for the week ending April 10. Jensen-Whyte, a 6-foot-5-inch guard from Calgary, averaged 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in three London victories. … Terry Thomas needs 250 points to pass former Bolt Garrett Williamson and move into ninth place on the NBL Canada’s all-time points list. Probably not happening in the last seven games, but a return to the league next year (and a longer season/larger slate of games) could see him move up several spots as he is only 368 points away from holding fifth place all-time. … London is 15-2 on the season, 5.5 games up on the KW Titans. The team’s magic number is now 2 to claim first place in the league for the regular season.

BEYOND MY BYLINE

After Brian Maxwell ran the 1977 Boston Marathon, he wanted to tell someone his story of the event. Being the ’70s, without personal computers or the internet, he sat down with a typewriter and wrote a nine-page, hand-corrected story. He then put it in an envelope and mailed it to his coach, Dave Steen. Years later, after Maxwell’s passing, his son Chris Maxwell received the original in the mail.

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