The Guangdong Southern Tigers secured a thrilling 98-93 comeback victory against the Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin on Saturday in Dongguan, China, marking their second consecutive win in the league.
Shandong, eager to extend their five-game winning streak, came out strong despite playing on the road. Jarmar Gulley led the charge with exceptional shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down five three-pointers in the first quarter, including an impressive four-point play.
Guangdong’s Xu Jie responded in kind, matching Gulley’s performance by sinking five three-pointers in the first half. Despite his efforts, the Southern Tigers trailed 56-51 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Xu shifted to a playmaking role, setting up teammates Huang Rongqi, Zhang Haojia, and Troy Gillenwater. Their combined efforts ignited a 14-0 run that propelled Guangdong into the lead. Shandong countered with a 7-0 run, and the quarter ended with the teams tied at 79-79.
As the final quarter unfolded, Ren Junfei and Du Runwang took over scoring duties for Guangdong. Shandong struggled offensively, managing just four points over nearly ten minutes. With two minutes remaining, Marquese Chriss scored two free throws, but Shandong still faced a 92-85 deficit.
In a last-minute effort, Yu Dehao and Xie Zhijie drained three-pointers for Shandong, but clutch free throws from Du and Gillenwater sealed the victory for Guangdong on their home court.
Reference(s):
Guangdong come back to beat Shandong for second straight win
cgtn.com
