The Shanghai Sharks extended their winning streak to an impressive 15 games after a resounding 112-81 victory over the Guangzhou Loong Lions at home on Friday in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
The Sharks started strong, with Li Tianrong setting up Li Hongquan for an early layup that put Shanghai ahead 11-5. However, the Loong Lions responded, and a three-pointer from Yuan Zhaoyao gave Guangzhou a five-point lead.
The game remained tightly contested, with Kenneth Lofton Jr. making a crucial second-chance layup to tie the score at 63-63. Lofton, a former NBA forward, then assisted Wang Zhelin, whose layup gave the Sharks a two-point lead later in the second quarter.
Shanghai began to pull away in the second half. Li Tianrong nailed a corner three-pointer to extend Shanghai’s lead to 23 points. Eric Bledsoe also contributed by assisting Li for another three-pointer, helping Li achieve a career-high 31 points.
Yuan Tangwen added to the momentum with a long-distance three, pushing the Sharks’ advantage to 27 points. Ultimately, Shanghai secured a commanding 31-point victory, solidifying their position in 12th place in the standings.
In another noteworthy match, the first-placed Guangsha Lions dominated the second-placed Shanxi Loongs with a 111-78 victory at home. Shanxi’s Brandon Goodwin provided early energy with back-to-back layups, giving the visitors a nine-point lead in the second quarter.
Guangsha rallied with Barry Brown Jr. hitting a long-range three-pointer, narrowing the gap to six points. Sun Minghui then assisted Brown for another three, and the Lions led 50-41 at halftime.
Brown continued his stellar performance after the break, scoring a game-high 38 points, including seven three-pointers. Zhao Yanhao found Josh Carlton for a layup, and the Lions surged ahead, eventually winning by 33 points.
With this victory, Guangsha claimed their sixth consecutive win and extended their home winning streak to 16 games. Despite the loss, Shanxi maintained their position in second place.
Reference(s):
CBA: Shanghai claims 15th straight win, Guangsha defeats Shanxi
cgtn.com
