The Beijing Ducks soared to victory with a 90-78 win over the Liaoning Flying Leopards in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Club Cup on Wednesday. Anunwa Omot led the charge with a game-high 20 points, securing the Ducks' second consecutive win in Group D in Qingdao.
The match was a thrilling encounter between two basketball powerhouses. The Liaoning Flying Leopards, three-time defending league champions, faced off against this season's top team, the Beijing Ducks. It was the first meeting of the season for the two teams and also marked the first coaching face-off between Liaoning's Yang Ming and Beijing's newly appointed Xu Limin.
Despite missing several key players, including national team members and last season's Finals MVP Kyle Fogg, Liaoning started strong. Veteran center Han Dejun energized his team by scoring their first six points. However, the Ducks rallied and built a 13-point lead by halftime.
In the second half, Han continued to impress, going five-for-five from the field and adding 10 more points to his tally. Young talents Li Huyi and Zhang Junhao contributed significantly, helping Liaoning narrow the gap to single digits. Yet, the Ducks maintained their momentum, with five players scoring in double figures. Omot's exceptional performance and a decisive fourth-quarter push sealed the victory for Beijing.
The win keeps the Beijing Ducks at the top of Group D with a perfect record, while the Liaoning Flying Leopards find themselves at the bottom. The rivalry between these teams is set to intensify as the season progresses.
Earlier in the day, the host team Qingdao secured an 89-80 victory over Nanjing, leaving both teams with one win and one loss in the group stage. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage of the CBA Club Cup, with the champions to be crowned in February.
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Beijing Ducks rally past Liaoning Flying Leopards in CBA Club Cup
cgtn.com
