In a thrilling showdown on Friday, the Shanxi Loongs delivered a stunning performance, defeating the Guangdong Southern Tigers 103-99 in Dongguan, Guangdong Province. This marks the Loongs' second victory over the Southern Tigers in the 2024-25 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season.
The Southern Tigers seemed to have the game in hand early on, building a commanding 19-point lead, 50-31, just before halftime. Their aggressive defense and fastbreak opportunities turned the tide in the first quarter, leaving Shanxi struggling to keep up.
Despite missing several three-pointers, Shanxi remained resilient, thanks in part to Hamidou Diallo's efforts. At halftime, the Southern Tigers maintained a 13-point advantage, 57-44, with Du Runwang and Hu Mingxuan leading the charge with consistent jumpers.
The second half saw a dramatic turnaround as Brandon Goodwin stepped up for Shanxi. His unstoppable performance outside the paint, complemented by Liu Chuanxing's downtown shots, propelled the Loongs to outscore Guangdong 31-21 in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to just three points.
The tension heightened in the fourth quarter as both teams struggled with a two-minute field goal drought. Xu Jie's layup gave Guangdong a slim one-point lead, but Goodwin responded with a coast-to-coast attack and a crucial three-pointer. Jia Mingru's triple further swung the momentum, giving Shanxi a 96-93 lead with two minutes remaining.
In the final moments, Troy Gillenwater was Guangdong's sole scorer, but his game-tying jumper missed with six seconds left. Shanxi secured the win when Han Peiyu made both free throws, solidifying a 103-99 victory. Guangdong faces their fourth defeat of the season, while Shanxi celebrates a memorable comeback.
Reference(s):
Shanxi Loongs overturn 19-point gap to shock Guangdong Southern Tigers
cgtn.com
