Both Canadian, both newcomers to the NBL Canada, the London Lightning have filled their 2019-20 roster with two native sons who have put up big numbers prior to joining the professional ranks.

Abednego Lufile

6’7

Forward

From Burlington, Ontario

Basketball is clearly in the Lufile family, as Abednego follows in the footsteps of his brothers, Meshack and Chadrack, who are both professionals who have previously competed in the NBL Canada.

Averaging 27 points and 12 rebounds in his senior year at REDA Academy, he was named the 16th best high school player in Canada and earned a place on the Sheridan Generals in Wyoming. He built on his 9.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in his freshman year with 12.3 points and 8.6 rebounds as a sophomore.

He then made the move to the NCAA, playing twenty-nine games for the East Tennessee State Bucs before joining the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys for his senior year, for whom he posted 11.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest.

After some difficulties at the start of his pro basketball career, Lufile considered switching sports and joining the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, before eventually following his brothers and playing for the Guelph Nighthawks in the CEBL. He averaged 5.3 points and 3.7 rebounds on 14.7 minutes played in 7 games, from there earning a contract with the London Lightning.

Picture: Derek Ruttan

Otas Iyekekpolor

6’8

Forward

From Edmonton, Alberta

Iyekekpolor was a highly active student athlete for Lillian Osborne High School in Edmonton, competing in basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross country and track and field.

It was his basketball skills - he captained the team and averaged 28 points and 17 rebounds a game senior year - that saw him called up to the NCAA's Central Arkansas Bears, for whom he played in 71 games. For his senior year he joined the Fort Lewis Skyhawks in Durango, Texas, starting in 24 out of 28 games and averaging 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest.

In 2019 he played twice for the Fraser Valley Bandits and Union La Rochelle in France. He then made the move to Canada and the London Lightning, where after 10 games he had an average of 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He scored an NBLC career-best 13 points against the Island Storm on January 16th.

Picture: Mike Hensen