Game 1 of the CBA postseason semifinals came alive in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, as the Beijing Ducks rallied past the Shanxi Loongs 102-94 to seize a 1-0 series lead. With the arena buzzing, the Ducks combined sharp shooting and lockdown defense to set the tone for the series.
Chen Ying-Chun and Eugene German co-led Beijing with 23 points apiece, dishing out a combined 18 assists. Their dynamic backcourt partnership fueled a balanced attack, while star center Zhou Qi returned off the bench from injury to post a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double with two blocks. Forward Zeng Fanbo added 13 points and four emphatic blocks, showcasing Beijing's depth.
Shanxi leaned heavily on its trio of foreign scorers—Brandon Goodwin, Hamidou Diallo and Trey Kell—who each hit double digits. The three combined for all five of the Loongs’ three-pointers, shooting 41.7% from deep, yet the rest of the roster struggled to support them on offense.
The contest swung with momentum runs on both sides. After a tight first quarter, Beijing exploded for a 19-2 surge early in the second. Shanxi clawed back before halftime, but another big burst in the third—this time a 20-5 run—kept the Ducks ahead. In the closing moments, Chen drilled a key three-pointer to push the margin to 95-93 with under four minutes left.
Shanxi failed to score a field goal in the final frame, managing only a lone free throw, and lost the crucial home-court edge. As both teams regroup for Game 2 on Tuesday, the spotlight turns to Beijing’s balanced attack and whether Shanxi’s stars can find help from the next man up.
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Beijing Ducks beat Shanxi Loongs to lead 1-0 in CBA playoff semifinals
cgtn.com
