107-111, Xinjiang team caused an upset by losing at home to Shandong men's basketball team, suffering their first home defeat of the season and missing out on a 15-game winning streak. The game was very intense and closely contested, with many fouls, free throws, and conflicts, controversies, and the referees' whistles were almost blown out. In the critical moments, Shandong team remained more calm, or perhaps justice prevailed, as they emerged victorious in the end. Xinjiang's home court advantage, often referred to as the "devil's home court," came under fire, as it was difficult to win against the odds of 5 against 8. Shandong team performed admirably. Let's hear what the media experts have to say after the game.
Xinjiang media: "Xinjiang lost to Shandong, breaking their unbeaten record at home. In the past three games, their rebounding issues need to be taken seriously."
Shandong media: "Shandong men's basketball team won away against Xinjiang, which is not easy under such difficult circumstances. They defeated not just their opponents. Facing the strong team of Xinjiang from the entire league, they broke the spell of the home team's undefeated record this season. Coach Qiu Biao led the resilient Shandong men's basketball team, with the "little shark" Tao Hanlin delivering, Yu Dehao performing well from outside at the crucial moment, and substitute foreign player Moore stepping up as the leader when it mattered most. The high-speed team played flawlessly! It was not easy to achieve this victory under such difficult circumstances! It was not simple!"
Shanxi media: "Coach Qiu Biao led Shandong High-Speed to break Xinjiang's unbeaten record at home, with Shandong High-Speed defeating Xinjiang Yili Te! Facing his former team, Yu Dehao scored 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists. Small foreign player Moore stepped up to save the team in the final moments of the last quarter!"
Famous commentator Yang Yi: "Tonight, I am a Shandong person!"
After the game, Shandong head coach Qiu Biao made a high EQ statement, giving enough respect to his former team without mentioning the refereeing issues, saying, "I think we still won through tenacity and fighting spirit this year. The opponent did have some injuries; last year's MVP Abudu Salamu didn't play, which had a huge impact. Also, Zhao Rui's move to seize power greatly affected Xinjiang. Everyone overcame many difficulties and still won through defense and rebounding. But I still feel there are shortcomings; emotions are not stable enough, and should be controlled better. Additionally, Coach Liu Wei is very excellent; since joining Xinjiang, the team's performance has been very good. I wish both teams all the best in finishing the season well."