The Shanxi Loongs kicked off the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Playoffs with a commanding 123-81 win over the Guangdong Southern Tigers on Monday in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. Demonstrating dominance on their home court, Shanxi had seven players score double-digit points, with four coming off the bench.
Brandon Goodwin led the charge for the Loongs, shooting 9-for-13 from the field and securing a team-high 25 points. Recent addition Trey Kell III made a significant impact as well, contributing 18 points and five assists.
On the other side, the Guangdong Southern Tigers struggled to find their rhythm. Only three players managed to score in double digits, and none surpassed the 20-point mark. Xu Jie was the sole starter to do so, recording 14 points on 13 shot attempts. Bench players Troy Gillenwater and Xu Xin added 19 and 11 points respectively. The team faced challenges with their accuracy, missing 45 of 74 shots and committing 20 turnovers.
The game remained competitive only in the early minutes, with the score tied at 12-12. However, Goodwin and Kell III quickly propelled Shanxi ahead, and the Loongs never relinquished their lead. By the end of the first quarter, Shanxi was up 31-27, thanks to a last-second floater by Gillenwater.
Shanxi solidified their dominance in the second quarter. Contributions from Liu Chuanxing, Goodwin, and Kell III extended their advantage. A series of free throws and precise jumpers from Kell III put Shanxi ahead 49-39. As more players found their shooting groove, the Loongs closed the first half leading 69-52.
The second half saw Shanxi continue to exploit Guangdong’s defenses. Hamidou Diallo and Ibrahima Fall Faye made significant strides inside the paint. Goodwin’s free throws pushed the lead to 82-62. Despite Guangdong’s attempts to rally with three-pointers from Xu Jie and Du Runwang, Shanxi responded with even more scoring, closing the third quarter at 91-67. The outcome was clear, and Shanxi secured a decisive victory. Game 2 of the series will continue in Taiyuan on Wednesday.
In another playoff matchup, the Beikong Royal Fighters edged out the Beijing Ducks with a 105-98 victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Beikong’s Grant Riller was instrumental, scoring a game-high 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Four teammates also contributed double-digit points.
The Beijing Ducks fought valiantly, with Chen Ying-Chun leading the team with 27 points, including four three-pointers. The Ducks narrowed the gap to just one point at 76-75 after trailing 26-22 at the end of the first quarter. Despite exploiting Zhou Qi’s absence by attacking the rim, Beijing couldn’t maintain momentum. Key three-point attempts by Zhai Xiaochuan and Zach Nutall missed in the final minute, allowing Beikong to secure the win. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday.
