Tookie falls just short in final

The event was a spectacular affair complete with a brass band, full DJ sets, ticker tape and flame-throwing celebrations.

- PABLO CHEEKS

LAST weekend saw the WBBL and BBL Cup Finals, both between the London Lions and Leicester Riders at the Utilita Arena, Birmingham.

The Lions would triumph in both fixtures, with the women’s final opening proceedings with a blowout victory and the men following suit although in a close affair before the Lions emerged 79-71 victors.

In between the two finals, the crowd were treated to the annual BBL Slam Dunk Contest, featuring the Plymouth City Patriots very own, James Hawthorne Jr.

Hawthorne Jr, known affectionately as Tookie, a nickname given to him at birth by his Aunty back in Mississippi, wowed the crowd with his dunks and acrobatic attempts and, true to form, brought the crowd to a thunderous applause every time he took to the court.

Tookie hit a number of exciting, acrobatic dunks. His first-round dunk included a 360-degree spin with a left-handed throwdown, getting high scores from the judges.