In a commanding display at the 15th National Games on the Chinese mainland, host province Guangdong overwhelmed Zhejiang 93-65 in their decisive group stage finale in Dongguan. The win clinched the top spot in the group with a perfect 3-0 record.
The men's basketball tournament advances the top two teams from each group, plus the two best third-place finishers, into the quarterfinals. Guangdong and Zhejiang both entered this matchup unbeaten, setting the stage for a winner-takes-all clash.
Veteran forward Zhou Peng kicked off the scoring with a deep three-pointer, but it was captain Zhao Rui who fueled the run that pushed Guangdong into double digits. Rui finished with a near triple-double, tallying 13 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
The hosts widened the gap in the second quarter, showcasing depth on both ends of the court. Zhejiang center Yu Jiahao fought valiantly in the paint, logging a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double, but the province lacked enough support to slow Guangdong's balanced attack.
Support from Hu Mingxuan and Xu Jie, both adding 14 points apiece, sealed the 28-point victory. With momentum on their side, Guangdong now aims to convert its group dominance into a championship run.
Reference(s):
Guangdong defeat Zhejiang 93-65 to lead group at 15th National Games
cgtn.com
