The defending champions Bayi Rockets proved to be unstoppable as they slammed Shandong Flaming Bulls home with a 135-111 victory Wednesday in an eighth-round match of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Jinan, Shandong province.

Power forward Liu Yudong and pivot Wang Zhizhi, both are the assured members of the national squad for the Sydney Olympics, scored 34 points apiece for Bayi, which run 7-1 record to lead the table.

But it was the fast Li Nan who beat Shandong up. The shooting guard drilled in all five three-pointers and was 10-12 in the field to contribute 27 points and 10 rebounds.

Bayi, who won the league title each year from 1995 to 1999, made 16 three pointers and was .590 from behind the arc with even the 2.15-meter Wang shot 2-3 for the long-range shots spree.

Shandong's top player Gong Xiaobin made one from his six shooting attempts and was held to just two points in 20 minutes.

Center Ji Minshang and forward Liu Tie led the home team with 23 points each.

"We played half game," Shandong's head coach Ma Lianmin said. " They found their attack power in the third quarter and it were Liu Yudong and Li Nan who actually beat us."

Point guard Du Feng led Guangdong Tigers to a 83-71 home win over Beijing Ducks with 27 points and 20 rebounds. Guangdong are at the same 7-1 record to follow Bayi at second on the standings.

The high-flying Shanghai Sharks edged off Vanguard Aoshen on the road, 85-75, to take a 5-3 record.

In Wednesday's other matches, Liaoning Hunters thrashed Zhejiang Cyclone 101-90 at Shenyang, Nanjing Army lost to Jilin Northeast Tigers at Nanjing, 124-108, and the winless Hubei Meierya crashed to Jiangsu Dragons 92-74 at home. (Xinhua)