The Guangdong Southern Tigers triumphed over the Shanxi Loongs with a dramatic 121-119 victory in Dongguan, southern China's Guangdong Province, on Tuesday, averting their third consecutive loss.
From the outset, the game was intensely physical, with both teams committing a combined 34 fouls. Key players like Guangdong’s Wang Shaojie and Shanxi’s Hamidou Diallo, Jiao Hailong, and Xing Zhiqiang were all on the receiving end of frequent fouls as the match extended close to three hours.
Shanxi took an early lead in the first quarter thanks to a 10-2 run initiated by Brandon Goodwin and Diallo. Guangdong kept the pressure on with strong performances from Troy Gillenwater and Adonis Arms, closing the quarter at 29-27 in Shanxi’s favor.
In the second quarter, Du Runwang and Gillenwater ignited a 12-4 run for Guangdong, giving them a six-point advantage at 41-35. However, a subsequent field goal drought allowed the game to settle into a 60-60 tie by halftime.
The third quarter saw both teams exchanging leads, with Gillenwater continuing to be Guangdong’s offensive spearhead, while Shanxi’s Liu Chuanxing and Yuan Shuai stepped up their scoring. Diallo assisted a dunk from Liu, putting Shanxi ahead 92-90 heading into the final quarter.
Shanxi dominated the fourth quarter initially, with Yuan and Goodwin hitting crucial three-pointers to take a 104-94 lead. Guangdong relied on Du Runwang’s sharpshooting from downtown, knocking down three straight shots. Goodwin responded with a three-pointer, tying the game at 119-119 with just 19 seconds left.
With the clock winding down, Xu Jie executed the final play brilliantly. He dribbled patiently until the last three seconds, then drove into the paint and made a jumper despite defender deflections, sealing the win for Guangdong as the game clock expired.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
