In an electrifying showdown last night, the Shanxi Loongs soared to a 122-117 victory over the Fujian Sturgeons in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province. This wasn't just a basketball game—it was a wild ride packed with suspense, drama, and a staggering 60 fouls and 73 free throws! 🏀⚡️
Despite sitting at the bottom of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) standings, the Fujian Sturgeons came out swinging like true underdogs, taking the fight to the second-ranked Shanxi Loongs. Five minutes into the second quarter, they were leading 20-5 in free throws. Talk about turning the tables! 😲
The Sturgeons went on a jaw-dropping 14-0 run, pushing their lead to 17 points at 44-27. The home crowd was stunned, and the Loongs had to regroup. Thanks to Hamidou Diallo and Ge Zhaobao, Shanxi answered back with a 7-0 run of their own. But as the teams headed to the locker rooms, Fujian still held a 62-52 lead. 😬
After halftime, the Loongs came back with a vengeance! 🔥 Inspired by their opponents' aggression, they cranked up the heat. Brandon Goodwin and Zhang Ning led a blazing 12-2 run in just two minutes, flipping the script and taking the lead. Goodwin's smooth layup pushed their advantage to 80-74. But hold on—the game took another twist! Shanxi was hit with four personal fouls in just over a minute, and Fujian seized the moment with a 6-0 run. The third quarter ended with Fujian up by a hair at 91-88. 😱
The final quarter was pure adrenaline! Zhang Ning, who couldn't find his range earlier, suddenly caught fire. He drained three clutch three-pointers, scoring 12 points in the quarter. Shanxi outscored Fujian 34-26, with Goodwin and Yuan Shuai also knocking down big shots from downtown. The crowd went wild! 🏀🔥💥
Fujian's Joseph Young did everything he could to keep his team in the game—nailing tough shots and drawing fouls—but their struggles on the defensive boards hurt them in the clutch. Yuan's relentless hustle on offensive rebounds in the dying seconds sealed the victory for the Loongs. Game over! 🙌
Elsewhere, the Guangzhou Loong Lions roared to life, ending their 11-game losing streak with a 100-91 road win over the Jiangsu Dragons. Talk about a comeback! 🦁🏀
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
