The Guangsha Lions clinched the top seed in the upcoming Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Playoffs after a thrilling 110-107 victory over the Shanxi Loongs on Saturday in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province.
Despite missing three key starters—Sun Minghui, Hu Jinqiu, and Barry Brown—the Lions extended their winning streak to six games. James Nunnally stepped up in their absence, delivering a game-high 33 points along with five rebounds and four assists.
The game was tightly contested from the start. Guangsha gained early momentum with an 11-2 run in the first quarter, highlighted by three-pointers from Nunnally and Zhao Yanhao. In the second quarter, Zhu Junlong joined the scoring surge, helping the Lions build their biggest lead of the night at 46-32.
Shanxi’s Brandon Goodwin and Hamidou Diallo kept the Loongs within striking distance. By halftime, Guangsha’s lead had narrowed to 60-51. Shanxi intensified their efforts in the third quarter, with Zhang Ning making crucial contributions. His three made free throws brought the Loongs within three points at 73-70.
However, Nunnally’s six consecutive points reignited Guangsha’s offense, pushing the lead back to nine. Despite Diallo’s foul trouble, Shanxi continued to fight, ending the third quarter trailing 86-79.
In a dramatic fourth quarter, Shanxi’s Zhang and Yuan Shuai hit pivotal three-pointers, allowing the Loongs to briefly take a 97-95 lead after Jia Mingru’s jumper. The Lions responded swiftly as Nathan Knight converted a four-point play, reclaiming the advantage.
The final moments were intense, but Guangsha maintained a slim lead. Zhang Ning’s missed three-pointers in the closing seconds sealed the win for the Lions, who secured the top spot in the playoffs with three games remaining in the regular season.
