Wisconsin Basketball Legend Hits Game-Winner in British League Title

Former Wisconsin basketball standout Sam Dekker has always had a knack for delivering in the clutch, dating back to his days at Sheboygan Lutheran. 

This knack for the big moment was again evident when Dekker sank a game-winning three-pointer from the right corner coming off a drive and kick from Matt Morgan to break an 85-85 tie in the British League title game against the Cheshire Phoenix with just 9.1 seconds left on the clock.

Sam @DEKKER for the win!!

The London Lions win the British BBL pic.twitter.com/RRXrWJN31M

— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) May 19, 2024

Dekker’s eventual game-winning three capped off a stellar Playoff Finals MVP performance on Sunday. He notched 17 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists. The 30-year-old led the London Lions in both points and rebounds, shooting an efficient 7-of-11 from the field. Dekker was particularly dominant in the second half, scoring 10 of his 17 points.

The Wisconsin basketball star has quickly made his mark in the British Basketball League despite only playing there for two seasons. In the 2022-23 season, he was named Player of the Year and helped lead the Lions to both a BBL Cup title and a BBL Playoff Championship, which they successfully defended with Sunday’s 88-85 win. 

Dekker’s history of clutch performances has become par for the course in his career. As a senior, you may remember Dekker capped off a 40-point effort in the state title game by scoring 12 points in the final 50 seconds, including a game-winning three to defeat Racine Lutheran 67-66. 

While a member of the Wisconsin basketball program, Dekker secured a victory with a late three-pointer against Arizona in the Elite Eight and followed that up with another critical step back three against the then-undefeated 38-0 Kentucky Wildcats in the Final Four.

The 6-foot-9 forward played for the Badgers from 2013-15 and twice earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. Dekker, a former five-star recruit, helped lead the Wisconsin basketball to back-to-back Final Fours and a national title appearance.

After an NBA stint that included 252 games across five teams over five seasons, Dekker, the 18th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, appears to have found the perfect home in the BBL. 

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