The Milton Keynes Lions College Lions are a basketball academy team from Milton Keynes, England, with all players attending Milton Keynes College.The academy is coached, funded and run by a partnership between Milton Keynes College, and the 'London Lions' professional basketball team, who play in the British Basketball League.
The College academy team, is regarded throughout the British college leagues, as one of the best teams in the country, alongside Hackney Community College and Barking Abbey of East London.
The team achieved this status, after their 2008/2009 season (their second season), where they went undefeated in all SESSA competitions, winning the cup, knocking out Hackney in the process, and beating them twice in the league to top the table undefeated. They came second in the British Colleges Elite league to Hackney, losing once, and lost to Hackney in the Final of the British Colleges Cup, and reaching the Final Fours in the playoffs.
In 2007/2008 several of the academy's squad began practicing with parent BBL club, Milton Keynes Lions with prospect Greg Harvey finding himself on the team's roster in the latter months of the season. Harvey rounded off his season with participation in the 2008 BBL Playoff Final vs Guildford Heat seeing playing minutes in both the 3rd and 4th quarters, picking up 1 foul and 1 rebound wearing the number 5 jersey.
In summer 2012 MK Lions announced they would be leaving Milton Keynes due to the closure of Prestige Homes Arena and fears were raised this could signal the closure of the basketball academy. On 8 August 2012 it was announced the BBL side would be moving to London for the 2012/13 season, with Mike New opting to remain in Milton Keynes as head coach of the academy side, turning down the opportunity to coach the new London Lions.[1]
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