London Lions registered a crucial win in the women's EuroCup as they beat French side ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq 77-71 in front of over 1000 fans at the Copper Box Arena last night.

The game was the first leg in the team's play-off tie and means they will take a six-point lead into their second leg in France on Wednesday January 11.

Kiki Herbert-Harrigan led the team in points, registering 21 on the night, while Holly Winterburn achieved nine assists and made a three at the buzzer to overturn a fourth-quarter deficit and guarantee victory.

The second leg is now set to be a thriller, with the French team having the added advantage of a home crowd as the Lions look to defend their slender advantage with the winners advancing to the last 16. 

The London team top the domestic WBBL standings having won all seven of their games this season, having achieved invincibility in the Championship last season - winning all 34 domestic games by an average margin of 40 points. 

They also completed a domestic clean sweep by winning the WBBL Cup, Trophy and Play-Off titles in a momentous season for women's basketball and completed a number of standout signings for this season - with new additions such as Herbert-Harrigan, Katsiaryna Snytsina and Taylor Murray additionally supporting a stacked roster looking to aid the Lions as they aim to repeat their monumental achievements. 

The team have also been buoyed by the landmark appointment of Vanja Cernivec as the new women's team General Manager and Global Director of London Lions Academy, after a previous role as an international scout for the Chicago Bulls - where she became the first female in the NBA’s history to fulfil this position. 

Cernivec's appointment serves as a legacy moment for women in sport, as she becomes the first-ever female WBBL General Manager and the Lions’ impressive roster serves as a clear reflection of the rapid growth of the WBBL with all eyes now on their run in the EuroCup - one of the most prestigious global competitions.

London Lions men are expecting another raucous crowd when they welcome Hapoel Tel Aviv to the OVO Arena Wembley in their next EuroCup game on January 11.

They are currently seventh in Group B of the competition, with a record of four wins and five losses, whilst Tel Aviv sit fourth. 

With nine games left before the next stage and the top eight teams advancing, the tie represents a vital chance to climb the table for both sides.

Lions boast a plethora of talent, including former NBA players Miye Oni, Sam Dekker and Kosta Koufos, alongside Great Britain international Ovie Soko and other homegrown tier-one talent.