The Shanghai Sharks extended their winning streak to 15 games with a commanding 112-81 victory over the Guangzhou Loong Lions at home on Friday in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
Starting strong, Li Tianrong connected with Li Hongquan for an early layup, putting Shanghai ahead 11-5. Guangzhou responded with a surge, taking a five-point lead after Yuan Zhaoyao’s three-pointer.
The game intensified as Kenneth Lofton Jr. tied the score at 63-63 with a second-chance layup. Lofton then assisted Wang Zhelin for a layup, giving the Sharks a two-point advantage later in the second quarter.
Shanghai pulled away in the second half. Li Tianrong hit a corner three-pointer, expanding the lead to 23 points. Assisted by Eric Bledsoe, Li added to his career-high 31 points. Yuan Tangwen’s long-range three-pointer extended the Sharks’ lead to 27, sealing their dominant performance. The Sharks now sit in 12th place in the standings after their 15th consecutive win.
In other CBA action, the league-leading Guangsha Lions defeated the second-placed Shanxi Loongs 111-78 at home. Shanxi’s Brandon Goodwin gave the visitors early momentum with consecutive layups, building a nine-point lead in the second quarter.
Guangsha fought back as Barry Brown Jr. sank a deep three-pointer to cut the deficit to six. Sun Minghui assisted Brown for another triple, propelling the Lions to a 50-41 lead at halftime. Brown continued his stellar performance after the break, finishing with a game-high 38 points, including seven three-pointers.
Zhao Yanhao connected with Josh Carlton for a layup, and the Lions surged ahead to win by 33 points. Guangsha claimed their sixth consecutive win and extended their home winning streak to 16 games. Despite the loss, Shanxi remains in second place in the standings.
Reference(s):
CBA: Shanghai claims 15th straight win, Guangsha defeats Shanxi
cgtn.com
