On Tuesday night, the Guangdong Southern Tigers extended their perfect start in the Chinese mainland's top-tier league, the CBA, with a 93-85 win over the Guangzhou Loong Lions. The victory marks five straight wins to open the 2025-26 season and keeps Guangdong at 5-0, placing them second in the standings.
Missing star guard Hu Mingxuan's leg injury didn't slow the champions. Guangdong came out firing when Xu Jie knocked down a three to make it 6-2. Although Lindell Wigginton cut the lead to one midway through the first quarter, Jared Sullinger quieted the crowd with a corner triple, finishing the period with eight points as the Tigers led 33-23.
Guangzhou roared back early in the second, fueled by Justin Holiday's lay-up while drawing a foul and Wigginton's step-back three that put the hosts up 43-41. But Trevelin Queen's bursts in transition and Edmond Sumner's court vision helped Guangdong reclaim a 52-50 halftime edge.
The third quarter saw Guangdong seize control. Sumner orchestrated an 8-0 run, capping it with a precise feed to Xu for a three that stretched the lead to 74-68. In the fourth, the 11-time champions broke the game open, with Sumner slashing to the rim and Sullinger pouring in a game-high 32 points to seal the win.
In other CBA action earlier this week, the Jiangsu Dragons finally snapped their losing streak, claiming their first win of the season and injecting fresh momentum into their campaign.
With veteran leadership and emerging talent, Guangdong looks poised to challenge for another title, while Jiangsu will aim to build on this breakthrough and climb the standings.
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Guangdong Southern Tigers stay perfect, Jiangsu Dragons get first win
cgtn.com
