In a nail-biting start to the CBA Finals, the Beijing Ducks staged an epic comeback to edge past the Guangsha Lions 101-87 in Game 1 at Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. The win puts the Ducks ahead 1-0 in the best-of-seven series and has fans buzzing with excitement! 🏀🔥
The game saw a balanced attack from Beijing as six players scored in double figures. Eugene German led the charge with 24 points, while Chen Ying-chun lit up the court from beyond the arc, nailing six three-pointers for a total of 23 points. Notably, Zhou Qi and Fan Ziming posted double-doubles, with Zhou recording 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Fan adding 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Guangsha Lions were not without their spark. Hu Jinqiu led his side with a game-high 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds. However, despite early efforts from Nathan Knight, Barry Brown and others that gave the Lions an initial lead, the home side could not maintain their momentum. Meanwhile, Lions point guard Sun Minghui struggled from deep, missing all nine attempts from three-point range.
The game rhythm shifted after a 17-3 surge by Guangsha in the second quarter, but the Ducks answered by upping their intensity at both ends of the floor. A balanced mix of strong defense, physical play, and timely free throws helped Beijing erase a 14-point deficit to level the score by halftime.
Chen's timely three-pointers in the third quarter helped the Ducks gain a 10-point advantage, while a 9-0 run led by Chen, Zhou, and German at the start of the fourth quarter extended the lead further. With Guangsha restricted to only nine points in the final period, Beijing sealed their victory after Chen drained his sixth three-pointer of the night.
As the series kicks off with this impressive win, all eyes will be on Hangzhou this Friday when the Lions host Game 2, aiming to turn the tide. Stay tuned for more thrilling action from the CBA Finals!
Reference(s):
Beijing Ducks open CBA Finals with comeback win over Guangsha Lions
cgtn.com
