🔥 In an absolutely thrilling showdown, the Shanxi Loongs pulled off an epic comeback to defeat the Xinjiang Flying Tigers 115-110 at home in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province! 🏀
Down by a staggering 25 points heading into the fourth quarter, it seemed all hope was lost for the Loongs. Xinjiang was dominating the court, nailing three-pointers like there was no tomorrow. Elfuratt Mohetaner and Xirzat Samat were on fire, leaving the home crowd in suspense.
But hold up! The Loongs weren't ready to throw in the towel just yet. Led by the unstoppable Harry Giles and the energetic Hamidou Diallo, Shanxi began to chip away at the deficit. The dynamic duo combined for 20 points in the second quarter, though their team still trailed 73-54 at halftime.
The third quarter was tough, with the Loongs struggling from beyond the arc, missing 25 of 27 three-point attempts. Ouch! Meanwhile, the Flying Tigers continued their aerial assault, extending their lead and looking confident with six players scoring in double digits.
Then came the fourth quarter—aka comeback central! 🚀 Shanxi flipped the script, launching a massive 16-0 run in less than five minutes. The crowd went wild as the Loongs outscored Xinjiang 41-11 in the final period. Talk about a plot twist worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster! 🎬
With less than 40 seconds on the clock, Brandon Goodwin, despite struggling from three-point land all night, sank two clutch free throws to give Shanxi the lead at 111-110. Han Peiyu then scored a crucial basket while drawing a foul, pushing the Loongs ahead even further.
Xinjiang had one last chance, but Q.J. Peterson's desperate three-pointer missed the mark. Shanxi sealed the deal with two more free throws, capping off a sensational comeback victory.
This win marks Shanxi's 20th of the season, bumping them up to second place in the standings, just ahead of Xinjiang. 🌟 Way to go, Loongs!
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Shanxi comes back from 25 points behind to defeat Xinjiang at home
cgtn.com