The second phase of the CBA league regular season is in full swing, and there was a fierce battle between the top-ranked Guangsha men's basketball team and the rising Beijing Shougang team. After four quarters of intense competition, Wang Bo led the Guangsha team to a thrilling 83-79 victory over the Beijing Shougang team, securing their 15th consecutive home win. Notably, after defeating the Beijing Shougang team, Guangsha maintained their position at the top of the standings, but news of further reinforcement has emerged. According to insiders, Guangsha is very likely to have reached an agreement with former Shanghai team forward Nongnali, who will join Wang Bo after completing the necessary procedures.
Facing Beijing Shougang's tough defense, Guangsha once trailed by double digits during the game. Fortunately, under the leadership of key players like Hu Jinqiu, Brown, and Sun Minghui, Guangsha managed to turn the tide. Now, traditional powerhouses such as Beijing Shougang, Xinjiang, Liaoning, and Guangsha have all fallen to Guangsha, indicating that Guangsha is now closer than ever to the championship title. For Guangsha, the dark horse Shanxi team and the Shanghai team will be the biggest opponents this season. Under the rule of four quarters with seven foreign player appearances, the Shanxi and Shanghai teams, with their strong foreign players, pose significant challenges. After losing to the Shanxi team due to Liu Chuanxing's dominance on the boards, Guangsha quickly signed NBA center Boban.
Recently, it has been revealed that after the four major foreign players - Brown, Knight, Carlton, and Boban - Guangsha has introduced another scoring machine on the wing, Nongnali, to counter the impact of the Shanghai team. It is reported that Nongnali averaged 22+5+3 during his time with the Shanghai team, making him a qualified and powerful forward. The reason Guangsha reached a signing intention with foreign player James Nongnali is primarily to deal with Shanghai's more balanced lineup. Although Sun Minghui, Hu Jinqiu, and Zhu Junlong occupy various positions among domestic players, complemented by Brown and Knight with almost no weaknesses. However, the Shanghai team also boasts a top-tier domestic player configuration with Wang Zhelin, Li Hongquan, and Li Tianrong in the backcourt, wing, and frontcourt. With little difference in their domestic lineups, Shanghai's foreign players still hold an absolute advantage.
Regardless of Brown's ability to score 40+ points in multiple consecutive games, it cannot be denied that Lofton is the top foreign player in the CBA this season. Lofton is a true dimensional strike foreign player, possessing unstoppable scoring techniques in the paint and the ability to attack and organize from the perimeter. With similar domestic lineups, the Shanghai team has already won many games by leveraging Lofton's advantages. This time, Guangsha continues to strengthen its foreign player lineup to counter the impact of the Shanghai team. Even with Lofton's strong individual abilities, he cannot withstand the relentless onslaught of the five foreign players - Nongnali, Brown, Knight, Boban, and Carlton - making Guangsha the team closest to the championship.
It must be said that although Guangsha has achieved 15 consecutive home wins, they are not complacent. Coach Wang Bo of Guangsha is still working hard to strengthen the team, and this dark horse team will become the strongest presence this season.