‘Lions and Riders still rivals despite distance’ says Macaulay

London Lions owner and Coach, Vince Macaulay, says despite being a new club and having added an extra 50 miles or so distance between them, the Lions-Riders rivalry from years gone by will still be going strong in 2012/13.

Macaulay’s London Lions were formed in the Summer of 2012 following the extinction of his previous Milton Keynes Lions side from top flight basketball (due to the club no longer having a home arena to play in), bringing to an end their 14 year stay in the top flight.

The London Lions have been formed as a new entity but the links to the MK side that just missed out on the play-offs last season are still present with former Milton Keynes players Adrien Sturt and Nuno Pedroso ready to line-up for Macaulay’s side in Crystal Palace.

And while the ties to Milton Keynes lives on, so to will the rivalry with the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders.

“The rivalry will always be there,” said Lions owner and coach, Vince Macaulay. “We’re still the Lions, we’ve got players from last year and obviously, I’m synonymous with that (MK).

“It’s nice to have that rivalry and I’m looking forward to it.”

The Lions almost had the opportunity to add another club to their ‘rivals list’ for the new campaign but with the East London Royals’ last minute decision to pull out of what would have been their debut season, Macaulay is going to have to wait until 2013 – when the Royals return and the Essex Leopards/London Leopards also join the top flight – before he gets to face another Capital city club.

“We need as many teams in London as we can,” Macaulay said. “I’m disappointed not to see the East London Royals start the season (but) I’m excited to see the London Leopards – that will be a natural rivalry because Robert Youngblood is coaching that team, so it will be nice to have an ex-player getting his chance as a coach.”