FIBA EuroCup Women

 London Lions 75-82 Dinamo Banco di Sardegna (20-20, 40-45, 59-66)
(Lions: Snytsina, 19; Winterburn, 13; Herbert Harrigan, 12 — Sardegna: Holmes, 18; Ciavarella, 14; Carangelo/Gustavsson, 13)

London Lions lost their final EuroCup Women encounter, 82-75 to Dinamo Banco di Sardegna in Group J at the CopperBox Arena on Thursday night.

A stumble at the final hurdle of group play for the Lions, but already assured of qualification to the next round, Mark Clark’s side will certainly take comfort in that.

Katsiaryna Snytsina paced the Lions with 19 points, supported by 13 from Holly Winterburn, as they shot a solid 45% from the field in defeat, finishing on a 3-3 record.

 Joyner Holmes led six Sardegna players in double figures with an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double.

From the opening tip, both sides were almost free to conduct their own offence with little defence being played in what turned out to be a fast-paced first ten minutes.

Enjoying the lead for the majority of the first five minutes, the visitors were guilty of giving the Lions too many second-chance opportunities and were punished as Winterburn drilled a three to give the hosts a 12-11 lead with 5:12 remaining in the first.

Dinamo responded with a triple of their own as Samantha Thomas connected off the feed from Anna Makurat as the Italian side led by four heading into the final three minutes.

Winterburn would continue to keep London in the tie, and as the first-quarter buzzer was about to sound, Shanice Beckford-Norton broke clear in transition to lay it in to knot the game at 20-20 heading into the second.

The Lions, though, would fall victim to bad execution in the second, as they missed a couple of easy lay-ups and jumpers they would typically make.

This led to Dinamo opening up a sizable lead, and a three-pointer from Makurat handed her side their first double-digit lead of the game at 42-31 with 3:05 remaining in the half.

True to their character, though, the Lions responded with an 8-0 run to narrow the gap to a one-possession game. But Dinamo held on to their advantage at the break, up 45-40.

The bright end to the second quarter was dimmed at the start of the third as London committed turnovers and drew early fouls, which played to the visitors’ hands.

Five quick points from Debora Carangelo gave Dinamo a 50-40 cushion with less than two minutes played, which was finally answered by a score inside from Ty Battle.

For the Lions, though, the third quarter was a tough one. They trailed by double digits for extensive periods, but despite their struggles, they fought back each time — a testament to their fighting spirit when their backs are against the wall.

Heading into the final quarter, London were down by seven but still firmly in the game.

However, despite London’s advances, Sardegna were patient, never faulted, and kept their lead throughout the fourth. Free throws from Giulia Ciavarella handed her side a 74-63 lead with 4:36 left.

Battle would score inside to reduce the arrears to single digits, but Ciavarella connected again, this time from deep, to give Dinamo a 77-65 cushion, and even though the hosts would mount a last comeback attempt, the Italian side hung on.

London will look to bounce back on Saturday, when they host the Nottingham Wildcats, followed by a WBBL Cup semi-final on Sunday against the Sevenoaks Suns. Get your tickets HERE.