Shanxi Starts CBA Playoffs by Defeating Guangdong by 42 Points
The Shanxi Loongs triumphed over the Guangdong Southern Tigers with a score of 123-81 in Game 1 of the Chinese Basketball Association Playoffs quarterfinal series on Monday, held at their home ground in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. Shanxi's offense...
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The Shanxi Loongs triumphed over the Guangdong Southern Tigers with a score of 123-81 in Game 1 of the Chinese Basketball Association Playoffs quarterfinal series on Monday, held at their home ground in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province.
Shanxi's offense was impressive, featuring seven players scoring in double digits, including four coming off the bench. Brandon Goodwin led the team with a high of 25 points, shooting 9-for-13 from the field. Trey Kell III, who joined Shanxi at the end of the regular season, added 18 points along with five assists.
In contrast, only three players from Guangdong reached double-digit scoring, with none getting above 20 points. Xu Jie was the only starter to score in double figures, achieving 14 points through 13 field goals. Off the bench, Troy Gillenwater and Xu Xin contributed 19 and 11 points, respectively. Guangdong struggled significantly, missing 45 of their 74 shots and racking up 20 turnovers.
The game remained competitive only in the first quarter, which began tied at 12-12. Goodwin and Kell III helped the hosts take the lead, and they maintained it for the rest of the game. Gillenwater managed a floater to reduce the deficit to 31-27 before the quarter concluded.
In the second quarter, Shanxi began to solidify their advantage. Liu Chuanxing joined Goodwin and Kell III, pushing the score to 40-32. Kell III was fouled on a three-point attempt, converting all his free throws and adding a two-point jumper, which extended the lead to 49-39. As more teammates hit their shots from mid-range, Darius Bazley and Xu Jie attempted to drive to the basket, but at halftime, Guangdong was down 69-52.
In the third quarter, Shanxi’s dominance in the paint was fueled by contributions from Hamidou Diallo and Ibrahima Fall Faye. Following Goodwin's successful free throws, Shanxi’s lead ballooned to 20 points at 82-62. While Guangdong's Xu Jie and Du Runwang tried to spark a comeback with three-pointers, Goodwin and Kell III answered with jumpers, ensuring the lead grew.
By the end of the third quarter, the score stood at 91-67, making it clear that the outcome was no longer in doubt. The second game of the series will be played in Taiyuan on Wednesday.
In a different matchup, the Beijing Ducks engaged in a fierce contest against the Beikong Royal Fighters, with Beikong taking the win 105-98 and leading the series 1-0.
Grant Riller led Beikong with a game-high 31 points, successfully landing 11 of 17 field goal attempts. Four of his teammates also scored in double figures.
Chen Ying-Chun led Beijing with 27 points, including four three-pointers from seven attempts, keeping the home team competitive until the final moments.
Beikong held an early 26-22 lead at the end of the first quarter, while Beijing spent much of the next two quarters narrowing the gap to just one point at 76-75. Beikong focused on penetrating the paint, taking advantage of Zhou Qi’s absence, while Beijing relied on Zhai Xiaochuan and Zach Nutall for long-range shots. However, both players missed critical three-pointers in the final minute, contributing to the home team's loss.
Game 2 is set for Wednesday.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
Shanxi's offense was impressive, featuring seven players scoring in double digits, including four coming off the bench. Brandon Goodwin led the team with a high of 25 points, shooting 9-for-13 from the field. Trey Kell III, who joined Shanxi at the end of the regular season, added 18 points along with five assists.
In contrast, only three players from Guangdong reached double-digit scoring, with none getting above 20 points. Xu Jie was the only starter to score in double figures, achieving 14 points through 13 field goals. Off the bench, Troy Gillenwater and Xu Xin contributed 19 and 11 points, respectively. Guangdong struggled significantly, missing 45 of their 74 shots and racking up 20 turnovers.
The game remained competitive only in the first quarter, which began tied at 12-12. Goodwin and Kell III helped the hosts take the lead, and they maintained it for the rest of the game. Gillenwater managed a floater to reduce the deficit to 31-27 before the quarter concluded.
In the second quarter, Shanxi began to solidify their advantage. Liu Chuanxing joined Goodwin and Kell III, pushing the score to 40-32. Kell III was fouled on a three-point attempt, converting all his free throws and adding a two-point jumper, which extended the lead to 49-39. As more teammates hit their shots from mid-range, Darius Bazley and Xu Jie attempted to drive to the basket, but at halftime, Guangdong was down 69-52.
In the third quarter, Shanxi’s dominance in the paint was fueled by contributions from Hamidou Diallo and Ibrahima Fall Faye. Following Goodwin's successful free throws, Shanxi’s lead ballooned to 20 points at 82-62. While Guangdong's Xu Jie and Du Runwang tried to spark a comeback with three-pointers, Goodwin and Kell III answered with jumpers, ensuring the lead grew.
By the end of the third quarter, the score stood at 91-67, making it clear that the outcome was no longer in doubt. The second game of the series will be played in Taiyuan on Wednesday.
In a different matchup, the Beijing Ducks engaged in a fierce contest against the Beikong Royal Fighters, with Beikong taking the win 105-98 and leading the series 1-0.
Grant Riller led Beikong with a game-high 31 points, successfully landing 11 of 17 field goal attempts. Four of his teammates also scored in double figures.
Chen Ying-Chun led Beijing with 27 points, including four three-pointers from seven attempts, keeping the home team competitive until the final moments.
Beikong held an early 26-22 lead at the end of the first quarter, while Beijing spent much of the next two quarters narrowing the gap to just one point at 76-75. Beikong focused on penetrating the paint, taking advantage of Zhou Qi’s absence, while Beijing relied on Zhai Xiaochuan and Zach Nutall for long-range shots. However, both players missed critical three-pointers in the final minute, contributing to the home team's loss.
Game 2 is set for Wednesday.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
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