The Lions’ franchise player came up big in the quarterfinals win in Romania
‘Proud’ Dekker looked like his old self in leading London to semis
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The signing of Sam Dekker on August 7, 2022, was a move that helped put the London Lions on the basketball map. Dekker was expected to be the face of the franchise and a star on the court as the club entered a new era in the EuroCup.
He delivered immediately in that first season, eventually earning a spot on the All-EuroCup Second Team, while leading London to a playoff berth.
This season had not gone as well for Dekker. Injuries limited him to only seven appearances in the regular season and he was a non-factor in the eighthfinals with just 6 points in 17 minutes. And then came the quarterfinals.
Dekker was the difference maker against U-BT Cluj-Napoca from his first seconds on the court. Introduced into the game with 3:39 to go in the opening quarter, Dekker promptly scored on his first two touches to help double the lead. He then ended the quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer to put the Lions up 17-28.
When the final buzzer sounded, Dekker led London with a season-high 21 points in 23:47 minutes. He made 5 of 8 two-pointers and 2 of 5 threes and also tallied 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal for a PIR of 23. He essentially looked like his old self.
Dekker’s dominant showing helped the team win even though star center Gabe Olaseni missed the game to attend the birth of his first child.
Cycling back to Dekker as the face of the franchise, he focused his joy after the game on the club and not on his personal return to form after an injury plagued season:
“I am so proud of our team. I am so proud of our coaching staff, our whole organization. We have been through a lot the last two years,” Dekker said. “I am really proud of being a part of it and helping grow this into something that is very special.”
He also made sure to credit the fantastic atmosphere at BT-Arena and sent a message that he and London are still hungry for more. Those are exactly the notes you want your franchise player to hit after winning such a game.
“The fans were amazing tonight. What a great environment,” Dekker added. "This is what basketball is all about and we have a lot of fun things ahead, unfinished business for us. And I couldn’t be more proud of what we were able to do again tonight.”
It was a night of great news for London, which won with its best player missing and reached the semifinals for the first time. As the team settles in to watch Thursday night’s Paris Basketball versus Joventut Badalona quarterfinal, knowing it will face the winner in the semis, it can do so with the confidence of knowing that Dekker is back in form and with him clicking alongside Olaseni, Matt Morgan, David Nwaba and the rest of the crew, London is a much more dangerous squad.