The highly anticipated second stage of the CBA regular season has been full of intense battles. In a recent focus match, the dark horse Shandong men's basketball team ended Xinjiang's home winning streak with an away victory of 111-107, drawing attention from fans. In this game, Shandong faced unfavorable refereeing but managed to end Xinjiang's home winning streak in a tough away match. The strongest "secret weapon" of Shandong, Yu Dehao, delivered a surprising performance on the offensive end. According to statistics, Yu Dehao came off the bench for 25 minutes, scoring 11 points with 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal, shooting 3 out of 9 and making both free throws. However, most of his three-point shots were crucial, and his plus-minus value of +20 was the highest in the game. Coach Qiubiao led Shandong to a miraculous victory, giving the team a chance to compete for the championship.
At the beginning of the game, Xinjiang's main guard Zhao Rui was sent off for colliding with the referee, but both teams still showed a high level of competitive spirit. However, as the game entered the decisive moment, Shandong seemed to encounter unfavorable controversial calls. Unfavorable situations for Shandong occurred frequently, such as Gaili's 2+1 not being awarded, Tao Hanlin's foul turning into a personal turnover, and Guo Kai's clean steal resulting in 6 fouls and a free throw for Xinjiang. These controversial calls put great pressure on Shandong. However, under Qiubiao's leadership, the team remained united and responded with more active defense and counterattacks.
Due to Yu Dehao's subpar shooting ability, Xinjiang chose not to aggressively defend him. Ultimately, Yu Dehao's consecutive three-pointers directly helped Shandong gain the advantage. Besides Yu Dehao's outstanding performance, other highlights of the game included foreign players like Chris and Guo Kai. Guo Kai's protection of rebounds is still underrated, and he is an indispensable local core in Shandong's frontcourt. Chris controlled his emotions, which made him one of the top three foreign players in the league. Despite multiple controversial calls during the game, Shandong's key players did not lose confidence. Qiubiao brought the ability to play tough games to Shandong this season, and the consistent high-quality tactical execution also proved his coaching ability.
After the game, Shandong's victory demonstrated their strength, causing even popular teams like Liaoning, Zhejiang, Beijing Shougang, and Shanxi not to overlook Shandong's rise. For Shandong, this victory is just the beginning of the regular season. To go further in the playoffs, Qiubiao needs to maintain this never-give-up competitive state and spirit in the upcoming games. Additionally, this game sparked widespread discussion among fans about the refereeing issues in the CBA league. After the game, topics related to this match frequently topped the hot search lists. The match between Shandong and Xinjiang ended with the former's victory both on and off the court.
In summary, Shandong has the potential to officially challenge the CBA finals this season and become a dark horse that no championship contender dares to underestimate.