A focus match in the CBA league saw Zhejiang Chouzhou, on a 10-game winning streak, face off against Shenzhen Men's Basketball. Before the game, there was a significant difference in rankings between the two teams, with one being third and the other being third from the bottom. In terms of both strength and form, Zhejiang Chouzhou had the upper hand.
However, the entire game turned out to be completely unexpected. Zhejiang Chouzhou was not in their usual form, struggling to keep up except for the first quarter when they could still maintain a stalemate. At times, the point difference reached as high as 21 points. Although the game persisted until the last minute, Zhejiang Chouzhou ultimately lost to Shenzhen Men's Basketball with a score of 102:105, ending their 10-game winning streak and adding insult to injury with Yu Jiaho's injury.
After the opening tip-off, Zhejiang Chouzhou continuously lost defensive rebounds, with Wang Haoran receiving two fouls in just one minute. However, Shenzhen Men's Basketball did not capitalize on their opportunities well, with York hitting a fast-break pull-up three-pointer, giving Zhejiang Chouzhou an 8:3 lead. Both teams then made continuous passing errors, with Thompson making a strong move under the basket against Jones, drawing a foul. York assisted Jones in completing an alley-oop! After Tilman came on the court, he scored four consecutive points under the basket, to which Yu Jiaho quickly responded. Rong Zifeng hit a corner three-pointer, and Shenzhen Men's Basketball went on a 7:0 run to level the score. The first quarter ended with both teams tied at 21.
In the second quarter, Tilman used his advantage under the basket to make strong moves, causing significant trouble for Zhejiang Chouzhou in both offense and rebounding. However, Weems and Rong Zifeng kept making low-level mistakes, and at a critical moment, He Xining broke through to score, helping the team stop the decline. Zheng Yonggang was given a technical foul for protesting the referee, Tilman blocked Jones, and Lu Pengyu completed a fast break, prompting Zhejiang Chouzhou to call a timeout urgently.
After the timeout, York and Wang Zilu scored five points in a row, He Xining hit a difficult long-range shot, Liu Zeyi committed a flagrant foul, and Shenzhen Men's Basketball went on a strong offensive run to open an eight-point lead! Wang Shilong called for a timeout to adjust. After the timeout, He Xining seized the opportunity to hit another three-pointer, widening the gap to double digits. The first half ended with the visiting Shenzhen Men's Basketball surprisingly leading by 14 points!
Throughout the first half, both teams made many mistakes. While playing at home, Zhejiang Chouzhou performed poorly, failing to play at their familiar rhythm. They could still hold their ground in the first quarter, but in the second quarter, they were outscored 20:4 by their opponents.
Of course, this was only half the game. It is believed that during the halftime break, Coach Wang Shilong will severely criticize Chouzhou's attitude, and they must launch a strong counterattack in the second half! Therefore, Shenzhen Men's Basketball must be mentally prepared.
In the second half, Johnson and Thompson scored seven points in a row, and Shenzhen Men's Basketball had already extended their lead to over 20 points. Liu Zeyi hit a three-pointer to help the team stop the scoring slump, and Lu Wenbo stole the ball and completed a fast break, prompting Shenzhen Men's Basketball to call a timeout to prevent the opponent from gaining momentum. After the timeout, both teams exchanged blows, with their shooting feeling improving. Thompson's strong inside play and mid-range shots were very effective, while Zhejiang Chouzhou, although showing improvement in offense, could not contain the defense. The referee called a flagrant foul on He Xining, sparking huge controversy! Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhejiang Chouzhou scored 14 points in a row! At the end of the third quarter, Zhejiang Chouzhou reduced the gap to four points.
In the decisive fourth quarter, York drew a three-point foul, Weems launched a fast break, and Ren Junwei drew a foul under the basket, allowing Shenzhen Men's Basketball to stabilize the situation slightly. He Xining rebounded and launched a fast break, returning the point difference to double digits, forcing Wang Shilong to call another timeout out of necessity. Weems became the core of Shenzhen Men's Basketball's attack and defense, scoring a crucial 2+1 in the key moments!
During York's rest period, Zhejiang Chouzhou struggled to find effective offensive strategies, relying solely on Simons to force his way through, but Lu Pengyu's defense was outstanding. In the final moments, Zhejiang Chouzhou brought York back onto the court, significantly increasing their defensive intensity and firmly executing transitions. Liu Zeyi hit a crucial three-pointer, reducing the gap to five points. Ren Junfei provided a key assist, and York hit three miraculous three-pointers! Weems made one of two free throws, and Wang Zilu lost a crucial defensive rebound, sealing the outcome of the game.
Zhejiang Chouzhou had four players scoring in double figures, with York scoring 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists, Liu Zeyi scoring 19 points, Jones scoring 17 points and 6 rebounds, Simons scoring 10 points, and Lu Wenbo and Wang Yibo each scoring 7 points.
Shenzhen Men's Basketball had five players scoring in double figures, with Thompson scoring 22 points and 14 rebounds, Johnson scoring 17 points and 6 assists, He Xining scoring 15 points, Weems scoring 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Lu Pengyu scoring 10 points.