The Shanxi Loongs pulled off a dramatic 132-127 overtime victory against the Shenzhen Leopards on Tuesday in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, marking their 17th win of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season.
Despite playing without American guard Brandon Goodwin due to suspension, Shanxi showcased resilience on the road. After the first quarter ended in a 16-16 tie, Shenzhen launched a 13-2 run to lead 29-18. However, the visitors responded with an 8-0 surge, narrowing the gap to 29-26.
In the second quarter, Zhou Peng was on fire for Shenzhen, hitting all four of his attempts from beyond the arc. Yet, Shanxi’s persistence paid off as they connected on five triples of their own. Hamidou Diallo, Zhang Ning, and newly signed American guard Walt Lemon Jr. each scored in double digits by halftime, giving Shanxi a 60-58 edge.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the third quarter. Midway through, Zhou Peng left the court due to injury, but his teammates rallied to outscore Shanxi 17-10, taking a 91-85 lead into the final quarter.
Zhou returned in the fourth quarter, drawing a foul on a three-point attempt and sinking two of three free throws. Shanxi’s Diallo stepped up offensively, and Zhang Ning’s consecutive baskets tied the game at 119-119, pushing the contest into overtime.
Overtime remained fiercely competitive. Diallo fouled out with Shanxi leading 130-125. Shenzhen’s Lu Pengyu hit two free throws, cutting the deficit to three. With time dwindling, Zhou missed a potential game-tying three-pointer. Shanxi’s Jia Mingru was fouled and sealed the victory by sinking both free throws.
In another matchup of the night, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers defeated the Beikong Royal Fighters 100-93 on the road, extending their winning streak to four games.
Reference(s):
Shanxi Loongs battle back to defeat Shenzhen Leopards in overtime
cgtn.com
