The Zhejiang Golden Bulls staged a sensational fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Beijing Ducks 106-99 in a high-stakes Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular-season game on Thursday night. Led by Gabe York’s outstanding 34-point performance, the Golden Bulls overturned a 15-point deficit to silence the Capital Indoor Stadium crowd and spoil the Ducks’ regular-season home finale.
The game was tightly contested in the early stages, with both teams exchanging leads. Midway through the third quarter, the Ducks gained momentum as Chen Ying-Chun and Nuni Omot propelled them to a 15-point lead. However, the tide turned when Beijing star Zhou Qi suffered an eye injury after colliding with Zhejiang’s Yu Jiahao while battling for a rebound. Zhou Qi’s exit for medical evaluation disrupted the Ducks’ defense, allowing the Golden Bulls to capitalize.
“We hope Zhou Qi is okay; we need him on both offense and defense,” said Beijing forward Zeng Fanbo. “Everyone knows how important he is for us. The whole team has to be ready for the playoffs and high-quality games like this.”
With Zhou Qi sidelined, Zhejiang seized the opportunity. With three minutes remaining, Wu Qian connected with York for a layup that tied the game at 96. York then caught fire, sinking three clutch three-pointers in the final minutes to secure the victory for the Golden Bulls.
“When he’s in the zone, sometimes he doesn’t even need a screen; he just makes it happen,” praised teammate Damian Jones. “We have full faith in him. When he’s on a roll, we know it’s his time.”
The loss marked only the fourth home defeat for Beijing this season, dropping their record to 31-14. They remain in fourth place, holding onto the last first-round bye for the playoffs. The Ducks will face the Tianjin Pioneers in their final regular-season game on Monday.
Meanwhile, Zhejiang improved to 29-16, moving up in the tightly contested playoff race. They will conclude their regular season against the Ningbo Rockets, aiming to build momentum for a potential postseason run.
