The Shanghai Sharks have made a splash by winning the very first CBA Club Cup, triumphing over the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in a high-octane final held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. Introduced as a standalone competition during the breaks of the 2024-2025 CBA season, the Cup brought intense matchups that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The road to victory was anything but easy for the undefeated Sharks. The final game kicked off with a tight first quarter, dominated by stellar defense. The Sharks struggled to find the basket, managing only one field goal from open play. Despite Kenneth Lofton's flawless performance at the free-throw line, sinking all eight of his attempts, Shanghai trailed 13-16 as the first period wrapped up.
Momentum shifted in the second quarter as both teams ramped up their offensive efforts. With D.J. Wilson and Wang Zhelin leading the charge, the Sharks launched a impressive 13-3 scoring run, momentarily taking the lead. However, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers weren't backing down, rallying to hold a narrow 42-38 advantage at halftime.
The excitement peaked in the second half when former NBA star Eric Bledsoe took center stage. Bledsoe dazzled the crowd with 15 points in the third quarter and continued his stellar performance by adding another 16 points in the final period. His consistent free-throw shooting, along with Lofton's, helped maintain Shanghai's lead despite a fierce comeback attempt by Xinjiang's Abudushalamu Abudurexiti.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Sharks celebrated a hard-fought nine-point victory, securing the championship title. Bledsoe, who finished the game with an impressive 31 points, was rightfully named MVP of the final.
Reflecting on the victory, the 35-year-old Bledsoe shared, \"Both teams played incredibly hard today, keeping the suspense alive until the very end. The coach placed a lot of trust in me during critical moments, and I seized the opportunity to achieve this victory alongside my teammates.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
