The Shanxi Loongs made waves in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, sweeping the series 3-0 against the 11-time champions with a 124-106 victory in GameĀ 3 of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) playoff quarterfinals.
Dominant Duo Leads the Charge
Hamidou Diallo unleashed a dominant performance with 25 points and 12 rebounds in under 25 minutes, hitting nine of his 16 fieldāgoal attempts to spark Shanxiās offense. Off the bench, Trey KellĀ III poured in 18 points, while five other Loongs chipped in doubleādigit scoring to keep the pressure on Guangdongās defense.
Guangdong's Struggle to Respond
Despite Troy Gillenwater erupting for a gameāhigh 36 points off the bench, the Southern Tigers couldn't find consistent support. Starter Trey Burk led the lineup with 15 points and eight assists but needed 19 shots to get there. The rest of the starters combined for just 21 points, unable to stem Shanxiās momentum.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter: Guangdong jumped to a quick 5ā0 lead, but Shanxi answered with a 20ā10 run powered by threes from Jia Mingru, Zhang Ning and Diallo, closing the frame up 31ā28.
Second Quarter: The Tigers found their range in the paint and beyond, outscoring Shanxi 40ā35 to grab a 68ā66 halftime edge.
Third Quarter: Defensive adjustments paid off for Shanxi as KellĀ III and Ge Zhaobao connected from downtown. A 25ā13 surge and a fiveāmiss skid by Guangdong extended the Loongsā lead to 103ā87.
Fourth Quarter: Xing Zhiqiang drilled both of his triples, pushing the gap to 20 points at 118ā98. Guangdong never recovered, sealing their first playoff sweep in three years and tying their worst postseason exit.
Looking Ahead
With the win, Shanxi advances to the semifinals, where theyāll face either the Beijing Ducks or the Beikong Royal Fighters. The Loongsā balanced attack and defensive intensity make them a team to watch as they chase their first CBA title.
Reference(s):
Shanxi sweep past Guangdong to reach CBA postseason semifinals
cgtn.com
