The Liaoning Flying Leopards continued their dominance in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Playoffs, crushing the Xinjiang Flying Tigers 101-79 on Friday to sweep their quarterfinal series 3-0. This victory propels Liaoning into the semifinals for an impressive 11th consecutive year.
Xinjiang showed early promise with Montrezl Harrell’s dunk giving them a 24-22 lead in the first quarter. Xerzat Samat’s assist to Dedric Lawson extended their edge to 37-33 in the second period, offering hope for the home crowd. However, Liaoning’s Dez Wells drove in for a crucial layup, allowing the Flying Leopards to close the first half ahead at 49-46.
After the break, Wells intensified his performance, adding another layup and leading the charge as Liaoning widened the gap. He finished the game with a stellar 25 points. Zhao Jiwei contributed significantly, nailing back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth quarter to expand the lead to 96-68. The Flying Leopards sealed the game at 101-79, eliminating Xinjiang and advancing to the semifinals.
In another playoff thriller, the Qingdao Eagles hosted the Guangsha Lions and secured a narrow 85-83 victory, pushing them ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five series. Qingdao’s Duan Angjun sank a corner three-pointer, leading the eighth-seeded Eagles to a 63-48 advantage in the third quarter. However, top-seeded Guangsha fought back, with Zhao Jiaren trimming the deficit to five points by the end of the period.
Barry Brown spearheaded the Lions’ comeback, scoring three of his team-high 25 points to give Guangsha the lead in the final quarter. He later tied the game at 83-83 with just 42 seconds remaining. Qingdao’s Quinndary Weatherspoon, who racked up a game-high 30 points, responded by putting the Eagles ahead with 16 seconds left. In a dramatic finish, Brown’s last-second three-point attempt fell short, and although Hu Jinqiu grabbed the rebound and scored, the referees ruled the basket came after the buzzer. Qingdao emerged victorious, holding on for a heart-stopping two-point win.
The Eagles now have a surprising lead over regular-season champions Guangsha, setting the stage for an intense Game 4 in the series.
