On January 6th, Beijing time, the 28th round of the CBA regular season kicked off with a series of intense matchups, including top-of-the-table clashes. The games were filled with ups and downs, with teams' scores tightly contested, making for an exciting spectacle for the audience. The outcomes remained uncertain until the final moments, adding to the drama. Let's take a look back at two standout matches!
- Guangdong's Big Win Over Tianjin:
The two teams were evenly matched, with Guangdong playing away. Despite Tianjin not being a powerhouse, Guangdong couldn't afford to let their guard down. Last season, they met three times, with Guangdong failing to secure a victory. This new season, Guangdong was well-prepared. They started with Xu Jie, Huang Rongqi, Du Runwang, Morland, and Gillenwater. Huang Rongqi opened the scoring with a corner three-pointer, which Lin Tingqian of Tianjin quickly responded to with a three of his own. The scores went back and forth, with neither team able to pull away, leading to a seesaw battle. Guangdong had Morland and Gillenwater in the paint but still lost rebounds, giving Tianjin too many second-chance opportunities. Tianjin fought hard for rebounds, and Xu Jie hit a three-pointer.
After Zhang Wenyi came off the bench, he struggled to find shooting opportunities, often forcing shots that missed the mark. Defensive lapses allowed Tianjin to overtake the lead from six points down. Guangdong went scoreless for two minutes, and after Xu Jie was subbed off, the team seemed unfamiliar with organizing their offense. The first quarter ended with Guangdong trailing 22-24.
In the second quarter, Du Feng brought on Zhang Haogia, who could both defend and attack at the forward position, performing better than Du Runwang and Zhang Haogia. Facing tough defense, he dared to shoot. Bazley also showed improvement, drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line with his individual ball-handling skills, something not seen in previous games. Bazley repeatedly drew fouls and scored multiple 2+1 plays. Xu Jie hit another three-pointer, followed by Zhang Haogia. At this point, Tianjin's offense stalled, allowing Guangdong to go on an 11-0 run. The half ended with Guangdong leading 66-49.
After halftime adjustments, Tianjin came out strong, hitting two quick three-pointers and going on a 7-2 run, prompting Du Feng to call a timeout. Guangdong's offense was somewhat stifled, missing opportunities that led to Tianjin's fast breaks. After the timeout, Gillenwater drew a foul and found his offensive rhythm through free throws. When the team struggled to score, the veteran Gillenwater stepped up. Du Runwang missed an open three-pointer, but Gillenwater grabbed the offensive rebound and assisted Huang Rongqi, who drew a foul and made both free throws. The third quarter ended with Guangdong ahead 96-82.
In the final quarter, after medical attention, Zhang Haogia returned to play. With only one foreign player available, Guangdong used Gillenwater, but with reduced height inside, they lost too many rebounds, allowing Tianjin to close the gap. The game became increasingly tense, and ultimately, Guangdong emerged victorious.
- Guangsha's Comeback Against Beijing:
Guangsha struggled offensively in the first half, with no points scored in the opening two minutes. Sun Minghui drew a foul and made both free throws. Beijing's Zhang Cairen scored five quick points, feeling hot. Zhu Junlong attempted a three-pointer but missed. Guangsha's offense was stagnant in the first half, and their defense couldn't hold up. The half ended with Guangsha trailing 34-42.
After halftime adjustments, the third quarter saw both teams trading blows. Beijing once led by 17 points but was countered by two Guangsha runs. Beijing went scoreless for three minutes, and Xu Limin called a timeout, which didn't change the outcome. Guangsha took the lead, and in a critical moment, Fang Shuo committed a five-second violation, leaving Beijing with no time. Ultimately, Guangsha staged a comeback and defeated Beijing.
With all the day's games concluded, the latest CBA standings are as follows:
- Guangsha - 24 wins, 4 losses, 52 points
- Shanxi - 21 wins, 6 losses, 48 points
- Liaoning - 19 wins, 9 losses, 47 points
- Qingdao - 19 wins, 9 losses, 47 points
- Shandong - 19 wins, 8 losses, 46 points