The Shanghai Sharks continued their impressive run by defeating the Fujian Sturgeons 114-92 on Wednesday in east China’s Shanghai Municipality. This victory marks the Sharks’ ninth consecutive win in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season.
Despite facing the bottom-ranked team, the Fujian Sturgeons, the game proved challenging for Shanghai in the early stages. Fujian’s Zou Yang and Rashawn Thomas propelled their team to a narrow 24-23 lead at the end of the first quarter.
As the game progressed, both teams struggled offensively, but the Sharks managed to edge ahead by outscoring the Sturgeons 19-14 in the second quarter, taking a 42-38 advantage into halftime. Notably, Fujian failed to record a single assist in the first half, highlighting their offensive difficulties.
The momentum shifted significantly in the third quarter, thanks to the dynamic duo of Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Li Tianrong. Lofton Jr. was instrumental, making all three of his field goal attempts, contributing six points, five assists, one steal, and two blocks in the quarter. Li Tianrong added 10 points, helping the Sharks dominate the quarter 40-25 and extend their lead to 82-63.
In the final quarter, Fujian’s Joseph Young attempted to rally his team, but Lofton Jr. continued his commanding performance, scoring 10 points within four minutes. His efforts effectively put the game out of reach, turning the remainder of the match into a formality. Lofton Jr. finished with a remarkable double-double of 28 points and 16 rebounds, along with six assists, two steals, and two blocks, shooting 11-for-17 from the field.
With this win, the Shanghai Sharks solidify their position as one of the top teams in the league, while the Fujian Sturgeons continue to search for answers at the bottom of the standings.
Reference(s):
Kenneth Lofton Jr. extends Shanghai Sharks winning streak to 9 games
cgtn.com
