The Jilin Northeast Tigers finally ended their four-game losing streak with a nail-biting 116-114 victory over the Ningbo Rockets in Changchun, China, on Thursday night. Despite missing their star player Dominic Jones due to injury, the Tigers found a new hero in Czech guard Tomas Kyzlink.
Kyzlink delivered an almost flawless performance, shooting 9-for-10 from the field to rack up a team-high 30 points, along with 15 assists and three steals. He came out firing in the first quarter, scoring 11 points and handing out seven assists, propelling Jilin to a 37-27 lead.
The Tigers extended their advantage to 21 points in the second quarter, thanks to Kyzlink’s hot hand from beyond the arc. However, the Rockets refused to back down. Led by Jordan Howard, Wang Zirui, and Wang Junjie, Ningbo launched a comeback, narrowing the gap to 70-59 by halftime.
The second half saw a fierce battle, with Mangok Mathiang energizing the Rockets’ offense. As the clock ticked down, Ningbo closed in, trailing by just two points at 111-109 with 19 seconds remaining. In a tense finish, Jilin’s Cui Jinming and Jiang Weize held their nerve at the free-throw line, ensuring the Tigers emerged victorious.
In another exciting matchup, the Beikong Royal Fighters secured their second straight win by defeating the Nanjing Monkey Kings 107-103 in Nanjing. Grant Riller’s dominant first-half performance gave Beikong a comfortable lead, but Nanjing’s Ty Leaf powered a comeback to edge ahead in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, Beikong’s Zou Yuchen stepped up in the clutch, helping his team regain control and seal the win.
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Jilin Northeast Tigers beat Ningbo Rockets to end 4-game losing streak
cgtn.com
