London Lions' Vanja Cernivec and Azania Stewart discuss 'incredible transformation' and wanting to 'inspire girls and boys'

nba Sunday 29 January 2023 09:05, UK

It's an unprecedented stat to be associated with, but the WBBL's London Lions have done it. Under general manager Vanja Cernivec's tutelage, they have gone unbeaten domestically for a whopping 637 days, racking up 50 consecutive wins, becoming one of the most successful teams in women's sport.

No opposing team has been able to disrupt their reign of supremacy in the league for the last two years, though not for a lack of trying. The Newcastle Eagles found out first hand this Saturday as the Lions helped themselves to a 123-43 win, racking up a half-century of consecutive league victories. This weekend they, alongside the men's team, take part in a showpiece WBBL Cup final against the Leicester Riders.

The questions have to be asked then, if we are to fathom or comprehend the depths of their success: when have we ever seen such an uncontested conquest of any sporting league, of all the tournaments, player awards, and points hauls? And when has it been done so emphatically?

Off court, part of the praise has to go to the historic appointment of the new women's team general manager, Cernivec. After spending time on the sidelines with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA, Cernivec swapped the role of international scout for greater ventures, becoming the first ever female WBBL GM. Her experience and understanding of basketball at the highest level have clearly been a big part of the Lions' success.

She had this to say of her role at the club: "It has been an incredible privilege to be part of this historic team. We've had our ups and downs during this season, but I think our true strength comes from how we manage to pick ourselves up and stay motivated to perform at our best. The change and transformation I have witnessed has been incredible."

It truly has been, and the team's success could have knock-on benefits for the wider realm of women's sport.

In a world that still sets women plenty of unnecessary hurdles, the Lions are proving that achieving the ambitions and desires you want can be an attainable dream - a mantra especially crucial given that recent studies have shown that a shortage of female role models has caused a significant decrease in involvement in sport.

Veteran and former Olympian Azania Stewart has been able to comment more on the impact of her club's success, as well as exactly how they plan to inspire the next generation. It has been a shared effort, and the roster itself reflects that with a number of standout signings this season, including Mikiah 'Kiki' Herbert-Harrigan, Katsiaryna Snytsina and Taylor Murray.

"I've been playing for over 20 years now as well as representing Great Britain for over ten years," Stewart said. "I have witnessed the game completely evolve, adapt and flourish. When I was young, there was no one to look up to or aspire to be like in women's basketball in England and I didn't know much about the NBA or WNBA. With more eyes on our team, the men's team and the NBA in Britain, people are getting excited and aspiring young sportspeople have players to look up to in basketball."

However the next season pans out, the vision remains the same. Stewart confirmed as much, saying: "My goal has always been to inspire little girls and boys and also show how fun and rewarding basketball can be and how many opportunities there are in the UK."

The Lions, and the WBBL itself now needs governmental bodies and intervention to support these efforts and build on what has been a monumental campaign from the Lions.

As Cernivec herself said: "Everything from our content production, game delivery, community relations have grown exponentially, and I think the game/fan attendance and TV viewership numbers are a true testimony to that."