Betty Codona Trophy Final Preview
Essex Rebels vs London Lions | Betty Codona Trophy Final 2024 | Sunday 28 January | Utilita Arena, Birmingham | 12:00 Tip-Off
History beckons as the Essex Rebels Women’s team are gearing up to face London Lions, in the Betty Codona Trophy Final this Sunday at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, where a crowd of over 10,000 spectators are expected to witness what will be a momentous occasion for Rebels players, staff, and fans alike.
The Essex Rebels, formed only in 2018, have defied expectations to reach this pivotal moment in their brief but impactful history, making it to their first national trophy final – more on the Rebels story here. Rebels will be looking to cause an upset as they come up against reigning Trophy winners and EuroCup contenders, the London Lions, who have been a dominant force in Women’s British Basketball over the past three years.
Rebel’s Road to the Final
The Rebels faced a tough challenge in the quarter-finals against last year’s finalists, Leicester Riders, but managed to secure a 79-70 victory in front of a buoyant crowd at the Essex Sport Arena. Building on this momentum, they continued their impressive run in the semi-final against Manchester Giants, clinching an 80-70 win.
Tyra Whitehead, who returned from injury to make her debut for the Rebels made an immediate impact in both encounters, finishing with an incredible stat line of 19 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 assists against the Giants to see her side into the Trophy Final.
What Coach Cookson had to say:
“I’m proud of this team’s achievement making a women’s British basketball final for the first time in Essex Rebels history. We knew from day one we have the talent in the building to make it to every game available to play in, so now we need to bring our A game on a national stage. London are the obvious favourite with investment made in their team and winning at the Eurocup level, but I’m a sucker for an underdog story and we will embrace the challenge on Sunday.”
Lion’s Road to the Final
On the opposite side, the London Lions are no strangers to national finals, having dominated domestic competitions in recent years. With victories over Caledonia Gladiators (74-58) in the quarter-final and Sheffield Hatters (72-60) in the semi-final, the Lions are now eyeing yet another trophy to add to their illustrious collection.
Currently sitting at the top of the Women’s British Basketball League and recently advancing to the quarter-finals of EuroCup Women, the Lions enter the final as strong favourites. However, Coach Cookson and the Rebels will be fearless in embracing the challenge in what has already been a remarkable season for the team.
Tickets and Broadcast Information
Fans are encouraged not to miss witnessing history in Birmingham and can secure their tickets for the 2024 British Basketball League Trophy Finals here.
For those unable to attend, the game will be broadcasted live on Sky Sports Arena and the Sky Sports YouTube channel, with coverage starting at 11:45 am.
Up The Rebs!
