In a heart-stopping CBA showdown on January 12, the Beijing Royal Fighters narrowly defeated the Fujian Sturgeons 94-91 after nearly squandering a 23-point lead. The game reached its dramatic climax when 24-year-old Liao sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer off an assist from Grant Riller, securing their sixth season victory.
Liao's heroic shot capped his double-double performance of 11 points and 10 assists. Teammates Zhu Songwei and Riller combined for 53 points, including six three-pointers. The Sturgeons' remarkable comeback effort was led by Zeng Lingxuan, who set a CBA record by making all nine of his three-point attempts en route to a game-high 33 points.
In other Monday night action, the Tianjin Pioneers overcame the Guangzhou Loong Lions 98-93 behind Javion Hamlet's 28-point performance, while the Zhejiang Golden Bulls dominated Sichuan Blue Whales 103-68, extending their opponents' losing streak to 14 games.
