‘The Dog’ is back!

He is the London Lightning’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. He takes no plays off, and no workouts off. ‘The Dog,’ Marvin Phillips, is back.

Phillips, a 6-foot-7 forward from Jacksonville, North Carolina, played with the Lightning for three seasons, from 2012 to 2015, before accepting an offer to play in France. During his time with the Bolts, Phillips averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game, and in 2013, the last time the Lightning won a NBL Championship, Phillips was named playoff MVP.

In his first three games back this season, he made an immediate impact, averaging 16 points per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor. Lightning Head Coach, Kyle Julius, knew that the addition of Phillips would bring many positives right away.

“Marvin is certainly going to be an impactful addition to our team,” Julius said. “We feel we’ve put together a strong group, and his experience, energy and talent level is only going to make us stronger.”

As for ‘The Dog,’ he is happy to be back in London, which he said was a natural choice for him to return to.

“I’ve played in leagues around the world, and the Lightning is one of the best places I’ve played,” Phillips said. “I’ve never experienced community and fan support like I have in London.”

Phillips brings with him years of experience, and he will no doubt use it to motivate himself and the rest of the Lightning team.

“My last stint here in London, we came up short,” Phillips said. “I feel like I still have a little something left to prove. I’m here to win a championship.”

Visit the Budweiser Gardens Box Office or website for tickets, and www.golightning.ca for updates, as the Lightning battle for a shot at another NBL Championship.

#GetStruck #TheDogIsBack

www.lightningbasketball.ca

Submitted by the London Lightning and photo by Stu Switzer