Lightning set to strike Jan. 19 as NBLC season tips off

The London Lightning will play a 30-game regular season schedule in 2023, from Jan. 19 to May 2, including nine games against TBL opponents. In May, they’ll try to defend their NBLC title.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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The rafters are getting crowded at Budweiser Gardens. Nevertheless, the London Lightning’s quest for a sixth NBL Canada championship ­– #TheJoyOfSix, perhaps – will tip off at home against the Sudbury Five on Jan. 19.

On Thursday, the NBL Canada released its 17-week, 73-game regular-season schedule for 2023, which tips off Saturday, Jan. 7, when the Sudbury Five welcome the Lansing Pharoahs of The Basketball League (TBL) to the Nickel City in an Opening Night event.

All four NBL Canada teams return to action in 2023, playing an unbalanced regular season schedule that runs through May 3. London will play 30 games, while Sudbury and Windsor will play 33 and 27, respectively. KW will play 24 games as it enters the schedule on Feb. 20 while the franchise undergoes an ownership change.

As the NBL Canada-TBL partnership enters its second season, the league’s regular season schedule features nine TBL franchises. London will face five TBL opponents – the Jamestown Jackals, Kalamazoo Galaxy, Kokomo Bobcats, Newfoundland Rogues, and Syracuse Stallions.

Like last season with the TBL-NBL Canada partnership, all wins and losses will be counted in individual records and teams will compete for their respective league championships at the end of the regular season.

All NBL Canada teams will make the postseason tournament with seeding based on regular season winning percentage.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

With the full NBL Canada schedule now released, let’s take a closer look at the season ahead as London looks to nab back-to-back championships for the third time in franchise history …

FINAL REMATCH | Fans will need to wait until March 4 for a rematch of the 2022 NBL Canada Finals, as the Lightning travel to KW for the first matchup between the two squads since London swept its way to a fifth championship on the Titans’ home court last summer.

UNBALANCED WEIRDNESS | Despite teams playing a different number of total games, London will play KW, Sudbury, and Windsor seven times each.

ON THE ROAD | Road trips max out at three games three times during the season. The longest road trip for the Lightning looks to be a three-in-four matchup at the end of January against Newfoundland (Jan. 25-28). The Rogues are a new addition to the TBL. London also ends the season with three on the road, at KW on April 26 and April 30, and at Sudbury on May 2. With the regular season most likely salted away by that final game, that is going to be one long bus ride to Sudbury.

PACKING THEIR PASSPORTS (BARELY) | Despite nine games against the TBL, the Lightning only need to pack their passports for one, a quick trip to New York State to take on Syracuse March 31. The Lightning defeated the Stallions 109-95 in the two teams’ lone matchup last season in London.

HOME COOKIN’ | The Bolts play 16 home games this season, including a nice five-game run between Feb. 1-12. The Lightning were undefeated in The Garden last season (12-0 during the regular season, 3-0 in the playoffs).

BACK IT UP | The Lightning are pursuing back-to-back championships for the third time in franchise history.

LONDON LIGHTNING 2023 FULL SCHEDULE

Sudbury | Thursday, Jan. 19
Windsor | Saturday, Jan. 21
at Newfoundland* | Wednesday, Jan. 25
at Newfoundland* | Friday, Jan. 27
at Newfoundland* | Saturday, Jan. 28
Windsor | Wednesday, Feb. 1
Sudbury | Saturday, Feb. 4
Sudbury | Sunday, Feb. 5
Newfoundland* | Saturday, Feb. 11
Windsor | Sunday, Feb. 12
at Windsor | Wednesday, Feb. 15
at Windsor | Wednesday, Feb. 20
Windsor | Thursday, Feb. 23
at Sudbury | Thursday, March 2
at KW | Saturday, March 4
at KW | Sunday, March 12
Sudbury | Wednesday, March 15
KW | Thursday, March 16
at Sudbury | Sunday, March 19
Kokomo* | Thursday, March 23
Jamestown* | Saturday, March 25
Windsor | Wednesday, March 29
at Syracuse* | Friday, March 31
KW | Saturday, April 8
at KW | Wednesday, April 12
Kalamazoo Galaxy* | Friday, April 21
Kalamazoo Galaxy* | Saturday, April 22
at KW | Wednesday, April 26
at KW | Sunday, April 30
at Sudbury | Tuesday, May 2

* TBL opponent