On Thursday, the Qingdao Eagles rallied past the Nanjing Monkey Kings 99-88 in Qingdao, in the Chinese mainland's Shandong Province, extending their season-opening winning streak to three games in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
American guard Quinndary Weatherspoon poured in a season-high 56 points, making 16 of 20 field goals and an astounding 19 of 20 free throws. He reached double figures in each of the first three quarters, helping Qingdao build an 84-66 lead before closing out an 11-point victory in the fourth. Weatherspoon is the first CBA player to crack 50 points this season, showcasing his offensive dominance.
Another highlight unfolded when the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, playing on the road in Beijing on the Chinese mainland, beat the Beijing Royal Fighters 105-95. The Royal Fighters suffered an early blow as All-Star big man Shen Zijie exited with an ankle injury just two minutes in, leaving a defensive gap Xinjiang exploited en route to 66 first-half points. Despite a third-quarter push led by Grant Riller and Zou Yuchen, Beijing fell short, dropping to 2-1 along with the Flying Tigers.
Here are the rest of Thursday’s CBA scores, with home teams listed first:
- Ningbo Rockets 81-72 Shenzhen Leopards
- Fujian Sturgeons 80-98 Guangsha Lions
- Jilin Northeast Tigers 90-80 Tianjin Pioneers
- Shanxi Loongs 102-91 Zhejiang Golden Bulls
These early-season showdowns highlight the growing competitive spirit of the CBA, the Chinese mainland’s top professional basketball league, where international talents like Weatherspoon are drawing global fans. As teams vie for position, expect more high-scoring thrillers from cities across the mainland.
Reference(s):
Weatherspoon leads Qingdao to victory over Nanjing with epic 56 points
cgtn.com
