The first phase of the inaugural CBA Club Cup concluded with exhilarating victories as the Beijing Ducks and Xinjiang Flying Tigers secured their spots in the quarterfinals. Both teams emerged from a fiercely competitive Group D in Qingdao, each boasting three wins and one loss.
In their decisive final match, the Beijing Ducks faced the Nanjing Monkey Kings. Despite an ankle sprain earlier in the week, Eugene German made a spectacular return, scoring a game-high 27 points. German credited his performance to the inspiration from his six-month-old son. Alongside him, Anunwa Omot contributed 20 points, helping Beijing dominate with a 91-75 victory.
\"We treated this game as a decisive battle. We won the game, and our players also made breakthroughs in their mentality, so overall, I'm very satisfied with our performance here,\" said Beijing coach Xu Limin.
Meanwhile, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers triumphed over the Liaoning Flying Leopards in the evening game. Although both teams finished with identical records, Xinjiang's head-to-head win propelled them to the quarterfinals as Group D leaders. Coach Liu Wei expressed his satisfaction, highlighting the significance of the Club Cup for his team and the improved cohesion among players.
With Group D's conclusion, the knockout phase of the CBA Club Cup is set for February, featuring an intense single-elimination tournament among the eight qualified teams. Fans can look forward to more high-stakes basketball action as the regular season resumes on November 27.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
