London Lightning starts season with an 11-game winning streak

It's been a decade since the London Lightning have kicked off a season this good. They're currently on a 11-game winning streak, with the next game set for Thursday in Albany, New York.  

The team, which are part of the National Basketball League of Canada, had a 14-game winning streak back in 2016, but that was mid-season.

"I think that from a talent standpoint, we have a lot of talent on our team, so that obviously is helping quite a bit," said the team's coach, Doug Plumb. 

"But we brought back some guys … guys that kind of know the type of basketball that we like to play, the culture, what we expect everyday," Plumb added.

In the 2012/2013 season, the Lightning also kicked things off with an 11-game winning streak. If they win Thursday's game, they'll break that record.  

"It's crazy because we talk about the win streak, but we know that the big picture is, you know, playoffs and winning a championship and trying to reach our peak," said Jaylon Tate, the team's point guard. "The win streak is definitely a great accomplishment."

The team has also set a league record for championship wins -- they've won four times. 

They've been around since the league began back in 2011, but unlike many other years, the season this year is condensed due to COVID-19. 

"You want to be the best team," said Tate. "Of course, you want to improve as a player and see how good you can be as a team, but winning is, you know, the motive."

The league is made up of teams from London, Sudbury, Moncton, Kitchener/Waterloo, Charlottetown, Windsor, St. John's, and Halifax.