The Jiangsu Dragons ended their 13-game losing streak in spectacular fashion by defeating the Guangdong Southern Tigers 100-98 on Thursday in Dongguan, south China’s Guangdong Province. This marks their first victory in the 2024-25 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season.
Jiangsu, previously the only winless team in the league, started strong with a 15-4 run in the first quarter. The Guangdong Tigers faced an early setback when their starting center, Wang Shaojie, left the game due to an injury just 17 seconds in.
Despite the setback, Guangdong fought back with Xu Jie’s clutch shooting and Troy Gillenwater’s offensive prowess, closing the first quarter trailing 28-23. The second quarter saw both teams struggling with low field goal percentages. Guangdong briefly took the lead at 36-35 but couldn’t maintain it as Franklin Jackson and Archie Goodwin powered Jiangsu ahead with aggressive drives to the basket.
In a physical second half, Guangdong surged ahead with a 10-0 run, leading 58-50. They extended their advantage to 63-52 after Gillenwater’s jumper. However, Jiangsu’s Jackson and Goodwin sparked a comeback, trimming the deficit to two points at 74-72 by the end of the third quarter.
The final quarter was a nail-biter. Goodwin remained unstoppable, scoring eight points in just two minutes. Jiangsu held a six-point lead at 97-91 with two minutes remaining. Guangdong’s Adonis Arms hit a crucial three-pointer, and Yang Yi’s free throws brought them within one point at 99-98. With just seconds left, Arms stumbled, losing possession to Li Chengyao, who was fouled but only made one free throw. Guangdong’s last-second three-point attempt missed, sealing the victory for Jiangsu.
Elsewhere, the Nanjing Monkey Kings defeated the Sichuan Blue Whales 97-83 at home, adding more excitement to the CBA action.
Reference(s):
Jiangsu Dragons upset Guangdong Southern Tigers for 1st win of season
cgtn.com
