In a nail-biting showdown in Jinan, the Shanxi Loongs stunned the Shandong Kylins with a 120-119 win, snapping the hosts' 11-game home streak! Early on, Shandong surged as American guard Jamar Gulley scored nine straight points, setting the tone. By the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 26-26.
The tension mounted in the second quarter when Shanxi hit a six-minute offensive drought, managing only three points while the Kylins outscored them 15-3. Yet, with dynamic drives from Brandon Goodwin and Hamidou Diallo—and a crucial four-point play from Zhang Ning—the Loongs clawed their way to a narrow 52-51 halftime gap.
The second half turned up the heat as Shanxi began raining three-pointers, with Xing Zhiqiang, Goodwin, and Zhang Ning lighting up the scoreboard to build an eight-point lead at 72-64. But Shandong, led by Dallas Moore and Gulley, fought back to reclaim a one-point edge with just 20 seconds to go.
Then came the moment of pure magic 🤯: with a mere 0.2 seconds remaining, an open Jia Mingru in the corner dodged a defender with a slick pump fake and knocked down a long jumper to flip the score to 120-119. There was no time left for Shandong to answer, sealing a truly unforgettable victory.
On the same night, the Beikong Royal Fighters edged the Jiangsu Dragons 96-95 on the road. Liao Sanning led the charge off the bench with 26 points, helping his team withstand a late surge from the Dragons that nearly tied the game in its dying moments.
This action-packed night showcased the unpredictable thrills of CBA basketball—where every second counts and heroes are forged in the heat of battle. Stay tuned for more electrifying moments on the court!
Reference(s):
Shanxi ends Shandong's 11-game home winning streak with late jumper
cgtn.com
