Former University of Maine women’s basketball player Chantel Charles and her London Lions hoisted the Women’s British Basketball League trophy after beating Sevenoaks 70-45 in the championship game.
London went 24-0 during the regular season, while Sevenoaks was 21-3.
Charles was among the former UMaine women’s basketball players who recently concluded their professional seasons in Europe.
Calais native McVicar’s Newcastle Eagles failed to qualify for the playoffs this season after going 7-17 during the regular season and finishing 10th in the 13-team league.
Blanca Millan spent her first pro season in her native Spain and 2017 UMaine graduate Sigi Koizar also played in Spain after several seasons playing in other countries including Hungary, Russia and France.
Fanny Wadling’s first pro season was spent in her native Sweden.
Charles, who graduated from UMaine in 2016, averaged 23.7 minutes of playing time per game and averaged 5.7 points, 4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
The London native had even better numbers in the Lions’ three playoff wins, averaging 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
She had six points, three rebounds and two assists in the title game, which was played in front of a record-setting crowd of 10,928 at the London ‘02 Arena.
Charles and the Lions had beaten former UMaine teammate McVicar and her Newcastle Eagles 93-71 in last year’s championship game.
This season was their second for London and Newcastle, respectively.
McVicar’s team had a tough season, but she put up noteworthy numbers as she averaged 15.1 points per game to go with 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals.
She averaged 33.6 minutes per game.
Millan, who was named the America East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season twice, played for Gran Canaria and averaged 10.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and an assist per game. She played in 30 games.
Austrian Koizar, a three-time All-America East first team guard and first team Bangor Daily News All-State Schoolgirl selection from Stearns High in Millinocket, averaged 13.8 minutes for Leganes in Spain and had 2.5 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest.
Wadling, who was once America East’s top rebounder, played for Lulea in Sweden and averaged 8.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals.
She averaged 24.1 minutes of playing time in her first pro season.
