A last-second jumper by Jia Mingru sealed a dramatic 120-119 victory for Shanxi Loongs against Shandong Kylins in Jinan on Thursday, snapping the hosts’ 11-game home winning streak in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). The electric finish capped a game of shifting momentum, showcasing the league’s growing competitiveness.
Shandong clawed back from an early deficit led by American guard Jamar Gulley’s nine-point spurt in the first quarter. Shanxi struggled offensively in the second period before guards Brandon Goodwin and Zhang Ning spearheaded a recovery, narrowing Shandong’s halftime lead to 52-51. Momentum swung again in the third quarter with Shanxi hitting key three-pointers to pull ahead, only for Shandong’s Dallas Moore and Gulley to reclaim a 119-118 lead with 20 seconds left.
Jia Mingru’s game-winning shot with 0.2 seconds remaining – created by defensive attention on Shanxi’s stars – highlighted the depth of the Loongs’ roster. The result underscores the CBA’s parity as teams jockey for playoff positioning.
In a parallel thriller, Beikong Royal Fighters edged Jiangsu Dragons 96-95, extending Jiangsu’s losing streak to five games. Beikong’s Liao Sanning delivered 26 bench points, while a critical turnover by Jiangsu’s Liu Zexi sealed their fate.
