The Beijing Ducks staged a remarkable comeback to beat the Guangsha Lions 101-87 in Game 1 of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Finals on Wednesday night in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province. With this victory, the Ducks lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
Six players from Beijing scored in double figures, showcasing a balanced attack that overwhelmed the top-seeded Lions. Eugene German led the charge with 24 points, while Chen Ying-chun contributed 23 points, hitting six three-pointers from 13 attempts. Big men Zhou Qi and Fan Ziming both recorded double-doubles; Zhou tallied 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Fan added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
For the Guangsha Lions, Hu Jinqiu poured in a game-high 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds. However, he was the only player on his team to score more than 15 points. Point guard Sun Minghui struggled offensively, hitting just 2 of his 15 shots and missing all nine of his three-point attempts. He finished with five points, six rebounds, and five assists.
The Lions started strong, leading 34-24 at the end of the first quarter, thanks to early contributions from Nathan Knight, Barry Brown, and Hu Jinqiu. They extended their lead to 14 points early in the second quarter. However, Beijing ramped up their defensive intensity and clawed back into the game. Drawing crucial fouls and sinking free throws, the Ducks outscored the Lions 31-21 in the second quarter to tie the game at 55-55 by halftime.
In the third quarter, Chen Ying-chun’s hot hand from beyond the arc helped Beijing build a 10-point lead at 69-59. Though the Lions attempted to rally behind Hu and Brown, they trailed 81-78 heading into the final period after Hu hit a three-pointer set up by Sun.
The Ducks opened the fourth quarter with a dominant 9-0 run, fueled by contributions from Chen, Zhou, and German, pushing their lead to 90-78. Their defense tightened, limiting the Lions to just nine points in the entire quarter. With less than two minutes remaining, Chen drained his sixth three-pointer, putting the Ducks ahead 101-84 and sealing the victory.
Game 2 of the series will be hosted by the Guangsha Lions in Hangzhou on Friday.
