The Jiangsu Dragons ended their 13-game losing streak by narrowly defeating the Guangdong Southern Tigers 100-98 in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, marking their first victory of the 2024-25 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season.
Jiangsu made a strong start, leading 15-4 in the first quarter, despite Guangdong losing their starting center Wang Shaojie to an injury just 17 seconds into the game. Guangdong remained resilient, relying on XuJie's jumpers and Troy Gillenwater's offensive plays to keep the game close, trailing 28-23 after the first quarter.
The second quarter saw both teams struggling with low shooting percentages. Guangdong briefly took the lead at 36-35, but Jiangsu quickly regained control after Franklin Jackson and Archie Goodwin dominated the paint. With XuJie fouling out, Guangdong's Hu Mingxuan stepped up, keeping the score tight at 48-46 by halftime.
The second half turned more physical as Guangdong surged ahead with a 10-0 run, extending their lead to 58-50. However, Jackson and Goodwin showcased their scoring and playmaking abilities, reducing the deficit to just two points, 74-72, by the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter, Goodwin was unstoppable, scoring eight points in two minutes to give Jiangsu a six-point lead at 97-91 with two minutes remaining. Guangdong responded with a triple from Adonis Arms and free throws from Yang Yi, narrowing the gap to one point, 99-98. Despite a last-minute opportunity, Jiangsu held firm as Guangdong's Liu Zexi missed crucial free throws, and Zhang Mingchi's final attempt from downtown fell short, sealing the victory for Jiangsu.
In other action, the Nanjing Monkey Kings secured a 97-83 win over the Sichuan Blue Whales at home.
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Jiangsu Dragons upset Guangdong Southern Tigers for 1st win of season
cgtn.com
