Marquese Chriss led the Shandong Kylins to a hard-fought 118-114 road victory over the Beikong Royal Fighters on Saturday night, scoring an impressive 29 points.
Beikong faced challenges as key players Liu Xiaoyu and Shen Zijie were sidelined due to injuries, and former NBA star Jared Sullinger didn't make his appearance until the latter part of the second quarter. With Sullinger contributing 7 points, Beikong managed to narrow the gap to 55-64 by halftime. Notably, Beikong struggled on the boards, securing only 12 rebounds in the first half—half of what their opponents achieved.
Chriss was the focal point of Shandong's scoring, racking up 21 points by halftime and proving to be a significant headache for Beikong's defense. In the third quarter, Beikong mounted a comeback with a 16-6 run to take a 71-70 lead. However, Chriss and teammate Jarmar Gulley quickly found their rhythm, guiding Shandong to a 91-84 lead as they entered the final period.
In the decisive moments of the game, Shandong continued to score from the perimeter, maintaining their lead. Beikong trailed by four points with just 23 seconds remaining, but their hopes were dashed as they failed to convert on two critical three-point attempts, ultimately succumbing to defeat at home.
Reference(s):
Beikong falls short at home as Shandong secures narrow victory in CBA
cgtn.com
