The Beijing Ducks soared to a dramatic 104-94 overtime victory against the Shanxi Loongs, securing third place in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Club Cup on Friday night in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province.
Shanxi dominated the opening quarter with an 11-4 run, thanks to Hamidou Diallo’s explosive offense. Diallo was unstoppable, sinking triples and attacking the rim to help the Loongs lead 26-18 by the end of the first quarter.
As Shanxi extended their lead to 13 points in the second quarter, the Ducks stepped up their defensive game. Eugene German and Fang Shuo ignited Beijing’s comeback with clutch shots from beyond the arc, trimming the deficit to just one point at halftime, 51-50.
The third quarter was a neck-and-neck battle. In a pivotal moment, Fang blocked Yuan Shuai’s shot and nailed a buzzer-beating layup, giving Beijing a slim 72-71 lead entering the final quarter.
Both teams traded blows in the fourth, with sharp shooting from Fang, Yuan, German, and Brandon Goodwin. The game was tied at 89-89 after Diallo denied German’s potential game-winner, sending the contest into overtime.
In OT, the Ducks unleashed a barrage of three-pointers, while the Loongs struggled to keep pace. Beijing outscored Shanxi 15-5 in the extra period, sealing their hard-fought victory and claiming third place in the tournament.
