The Beijing Ducks kicked off the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) semifinals with a thrilling 102-94 victory over the Shanxi Loongs on Sunday in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. This win gives the Ducks a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Chen Ying-Chun and Eugene German were standout performers for Beijing, each scoring 23 points and combining for 18 assists. Chen dished out 10 of those assists, orchestrating the Ducks’ offense with precision. Star center Zhou Qi made a triumphant return from injury, coming off the bench to contribute a double-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks. Zeng Fanbo added 13 points and showcased his defensive prowess with four blocks.
The Loongs leaned heavily on their foreign players, with Brandon Goodwin, Hamidou Diallo, and Trey Kell being the only Shanxi players to score in double figures. The trio combined for five of the team’s nine three-pointers, shooting 5-for-12 from beyond the arc.
The game started with Beijing jumping to a 7-2 lead, but the first quarter remained tightly contested. Zhou Qi dominated in the paint, but Shanxi’s Goodwin and Xing Zhiqiang responded with three-pointers, pushing the Loongs ahead 24-20. A late three-pointer by Chen Ying-Chun kept the Ducks close, ending the quarter behind 27-23.
In the second quarter, the Ducks capitalized on Shanxi’s offensive struggles, launching a 19-2 run that put them in control. Goodwin and Kell fought back for the Loongs, cutting the deficit to five points at halftime with a score of 56-51.
The third quarter saw the Ducks hit a scoring slump, which Shanxi exploited with a 20-5 run, taking a 71-61 lead. However, Beijing’s German and Zeng nailed crucial three-pointers, narrowing the gap to 78-74 by the quarter’s end.
The final quarter was a nail-biter. With less than four minutes remaining, Chen Ying-Chun sank another three-pointer, putting Beijing ahead 95-93. Shanxi struggled offensively, missing all five of their field goal attempts and scoring only one point from a free throw by Goodwin. The Ducks maintained their momentum to secure the win and steal home court advantage in the series.
Game 2 is set for Tuesday, where the Shanxi Loongs will look to even the series against the surging Beijing Ducks.
