CBA Roundup: Liaoning smashes Shanxi, Guangdong edges Fujian

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Liaoning Flying Leopards overwhelmed the Shanxi Loongs 103-90, while the Guangdong Loong Lions beat the Fujian Sturgeons 109-103 in the 2023-24 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league regular season on Friday.

Eric Moreland scored the first points of the game for Liaoning, leading to a 5-0 run. Shanxi soon struck back with Ge Zhaobao's accurate three-pointers, and the two teams exchanged points for the rest of the quarter, with Liaoning maintaining the advantage at 30-23.

Liaoning pressed on with all-out offensives in the second quarter. Shanxi tried to cut the deficit with counter-offensives from Yuan Shuai and Moses Wright, but they were overwhelmed by an 8-0 run led by Liaoning's Kyle Fogg and Li Huyi, as Liaoning widened the gap to 57-38 at halftime.

The Leopards continued to dominate the rest of the match as the Loongs seemed to lose their strength.

Fogg led Liaoning with 33 points, followed by 13 from Zhang Zhenlin and 12 from Han Dejun. Zhang Ning had 24 points for Shanxi, with Ge Zhaobao, Yuan Shuai, and Moses Wright also scoring double digits.

In Guangzhou, the Guangdong Loong Lions grabbed a 109-103 victory over the Fujian Sturgeons in the final minutes.

Guangdong started strong and established a 27-23 lead in the first quarter, but the Sturgeons gradually gained the upper hand in the third quarter and led 81-72 into the last quarter.

However, the Loong Lions suddenly intensified their offensive with an 8-0 run. The Sturgeons went for tit-for-tat offensives until Dallas Moore scored an eight-point gap for Guangdong, leading to a hard-won victory.

Cui Yongxi and Maurice Kemp scored 21 points respectively for Guangdong, with Li Yanzhe grabbing 11 rebounds.

On the Fujian side, Eugene German made 30 points, followed by Chen Linjian's 14 and Li Jianghuai's 13.

Also on Friday, the Beijing Ducks cruised past the Sichuan Blue Whales 138-107, the Guangdong Southern Tigers edged the Jilin Northeast Tigers 105-104, the Tianjin Pioneers defeated the Zhejiang Lions 115-102, and the Jiangsu Dragons beat the Shandong Heroes 102-100. 

Nicholas Rakocevic (bottom) of Jilin Northeast Tigers vies for the ball during the 3rd round match between Guangdong Southern Tigers and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2023-2024 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Nicholas Rakocevic (R) of Jilin Northeast Tigers celebrates scoring with teammate Wu Changze during the 3rd round match between Guangdong Southern Tigers and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2023-2024 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Nicholas Rakocevic (L) of Jilin Northeast Tigers competes during the 3rd round match between Guangdong Southern Tigers and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2023-2024 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Nicholas Rakocevic of Jilin Northeast Tigers gestures to the referee during the 3rd round match between Guangdong Southern Tigers and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2023-2024 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Marshon Brooks (front) of Guangdong Southern Tigers goes for a layup during the 3rd round match between Guangdong Southern Tigers and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2023-2024 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Nicholas Rakocevic of Jilin Northeast Tigers reacts during the 3rd round match between Guangdong Southern Tigers and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2023-2024 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)