Boss Rob Paternostro says his Leicester Riders side have a chance to “go down as one of the greats” if they beat London Lions in the British Basketball League play-off final on Sunday.

The success has already seen Paternostro crowned coach of the year for the seventh time.

“Everyone will be fired up to be there,” Paternostro said.

“London’s a great team. When we look at the teams we play in the league this year, they are far and away the most talented we have played.

“They are also playing in their own back yard. It should be an incredible event,” he added to BBC East Midlands Today.

The dominance of Paternostro’s Riders is best reflected in the BBL’s Team of the Year, which includes three Leicester players – Patrick Whelan, Darien Nelson-Henry and Geno Crandall, who is favourite to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player for a second straight season.

If Riders complete the treble on Sunday, it will be the fourth time the club has done so.

“The league has probably been as strong as it has been in my time here,” Paternostro said. “So I think that puts them up a little bit.

“It’s hard to pick but this group here, if we can win on Sunday, will certainly go down as one of the greats.”

London – led by BBL leading scorer Isaiah Reese, who was the only Lions player to make the Team of the Year – got past the Bristol Flyers to reach the showpiece event at home.

Lions coach Nikhil Lawry said he “likes our chances” against the Riders with a fully fit team.

“It means everything to be in a final,” he told the club website.

“When the season started we had goals in Europe and the BBL, and high up the list was to get to the O2 Arena for the final game of the year.

“We still have things to achieve, but this is what you go into basketball for – to win major trophies on the big stage.”

Lions women eye quadruple

The Lions are playing for a double on Sunday, as the club’s women’s side look to complete an unprecedented unbeaten Women’s British Basketball League season with victory over the Sevenoaks Suns.

Mark Clark’s team have already won the WBBL Championship, the Cup and the Trophy – easing to victory over the Suns at the Glasgow Arena in March.

“I’m confident we can finish the season in the right way, but this is Suns’ final chance to win something,” Clark said.

“They have nothing to lose and they’ll do everything they can to try to stop us getting a clean sweep.”

It is the the Suns’ fourth WBBL play-off final appearance, having gone on to win the showpiece game in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

And guard Renee Busch said getting to another final was just reward for finishing second in the table behind the Lions.

“Every time you make it to the final it’s really special,” she told BBC South East Today. “It feels like it’s been a long time since the last one given the wildness of the last couple of years.

“This season has been a journey. This group of women is really special. It’s also been a season when we’ve faced a lot of adversity, missing some key players, some injuries and things off the court too. It means a lot to us.”

London have won all four meetings between the sides in both the league and knock-out competition and start as favourites. But Busch believes the Suns can cause the Lions problems and provide a challenge.

“This is the big one,” she added. “It’s a team we’ve seen plenty of times in pre-season and four times during the season, and we’ve got a bit better every game but we still haven’t got the win.

“It’s the one we’re focused on, so it’s the biggest game for sure.

“They are playing really well, they’ve gone undefeated in the league. We’ve given them some challenges but they’ve definitely performed well this season.”