London City Royals

Photo: @mossfoto

Basketball (M)

London City Royals v Surrey Scorchers

🏀 BBLLondon City Royals welcome Surrey Scorchers to Crystal Palace National Sports Centre for a festive season showdown in the league.  Tip-off is 7.30pm and tickets are on sale.

2018/2019 was maiden campaign to remember for London City Royals in the British Basketball League.  Finishing fourth in the BBL Championship (see below for an introduction to the BBL), runners-up in the Play-Off Final and winning the BBL Trophy the team from Crystal Palace have set the bar high for the new season.

London City RoyalsStarting with the BBL Cup the Royals have started as they left off under new head coach Lloyd Gardner who was appointed in the close season.  The side from south-east London taking their place in the semi-finals for the first time having seen off Cheshire Phoenix at the last eight stage.  A narrow 84-82 defeat in their semi-final first leg against Bristol Flyers means Gardner’s men have everything to play for in the return scheduled for 21 December.

To tonight’s fixture and it’s only the second league fixture of the season for the Royals who opened their account with an impressive 98-90 road win against Plymouth Raiders earlier this month.  Likewise tonight’s visitors Surrey Scorchers launched their campaign with a win, seeing off Bristol Flyers 93-87 at Surrey Sports Park, meaning both sides will be aiming to keep their 100% record in tact this evening at the Palace.

👀 Ones to watch: Captain Orlan Jackman led his London City Royals team to maximum points against Plymouth with an inspirational all-round performance.  Scoring 24 points the BBL veteran also weighed in with five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

🏀 Tip-off is at 7.30pm.

🎟️ Tickets in advance are available via the ‘Get Tickets’ link.

🎟️ Tickets on the door subject to availability.  Checking the London City Royals Twitter feed before travelling is recommended.

🚊🚗 Travel tips: The closest railway station is Crystal Palace and likewise Penge West is also within walking distance.  The average journey time from London Victoria to Crystal Palace by train is 30 minutes.  Free car parking is available at the venue with a total of 250 spaces.

About the BBL: The British Basketball League (BBL) is the top men’s professional league in the UK.  Running from September to May the primary competition is the BBL Championship in which all 12 BBL teams play each other three times over the course of the season.  London Lions are the current champions.  At the end of the regular season the top eight teams in the BBL Championship progress to the BBL Championship Play-offs.  The BBL Championship is considered the primary competition and its winner the number one team that season.

There are two knock-out competitions that run alongside the BBL Championship.  The BBL Trophy in which the BBL clubs are joined by guest clubs in a straight knockout competition culminating in the BBL Trophy Final and the BBL Cup which is a straight knock-out competition involving just the BBL clubs which culminates in the BBL Cup Final.

The top eight  teams at the end of the current BBL season also qualify for the British Basketball All-Stars Championship.  Taking place in October 2020 it features multiple 12-minute games, an All-Star 5-point line and Golden Buzzer Power Play in a non-stop afternoon of fast-paced basketball action.

The BBL teams for season 2019/2020 are Bristol Flyers, Cheshire Phoenix, B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, Newcastle Eagles, Leicester Riders, London City Royals, London Lions, Manchester Giants, Plymouth Raiders, Radisson Red Glasgow Rocks , Surrey Scorchers and Worcester Wolves.

(BBL information courtesy of the British Basketball League website).

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