On January 12, 2025, in the 30th round of the CBA regular season, Qingdao Men's Basketball Team faced off against the defending champion Liaoning at home. This match was full of drama and after a series of ups and downs, Qingdao narrowly defeated Liaoning 103-100, successfully completing a double-kill for the season and setting a new team record.
At the beginning of the game, Liaoning showed great strength as Ferg and his teammates quickly established an offensive rhythm, scoring six points in a row at the start. However, Qingdao quickly adjusted and launched a scoring spree of 19-0, overtaking them. Qingdao's offense was sharp and efficient, with Wesperson contributing 14 points in the first quarter alone and sending seven assists, demonstrating his comprehensive playmaking ability. At the end of the first quarter, Qingdao led Liaoning by 16 points with a score of 39-23.
In the second quarter, Qingdao exposed a lack of depth in their lineup. The head coach used a seven-man rotation, with the two foreign players unable to rest for long periods, which led to high-intensity consumption and a gradual decline in offensive efficiency. At the same time, Qingdao's frequent turnovers gave Liaoning opportunities to catch up. Liaoning took advantage of this to gradually reduce the gap, with Ferg hitting several long-range shots in succession, leading the team to regain their offensive rhythm at one point. At halftime, Qingdao still maintained the lead, but the advantage had been reduced to 8 points with a score of 58-50.
In the second half of the game, Liaoning completely regained their offensive form. Ferg's three-pointers rained down, scoring 18 points in a single quarter, almost single-handedly bringing Liaoning back into the game. As Liaoning's offense continued to succeed, Patton also actively attacked under the basket, and after a small wave of scoring, Liaoning successfully overtook and gradually expanded their lead. Qingdao struggled to catch up with the support of their two foreign players, but the problem of turnovers remained unsolved. At the end of the third quarter, Qingdao trailed 74-85, and the game seemed to have entered Liaoning's rhythm.
Entering the final quarter, Qingdao faced immense pressure. Their foreign player Wesperson was tightly defended by Liaoning, causing difficulties in the offensive end. At the same time, the physical exhaustion of Qingdao's main players became noticeable, and there were significant gaps in the team's offense. Liaoning seemed to have locked in the victory, but as the game progressed, Ferg's shooting touch noticeably declined, with a 0-for-9 performance in the last quarter that gradually eroded Liaoning's lead. In the critical moments, Qingdao's Wang Ruize and Yang Hanshen stepped up, leading the team to a strong comeback.
In the final moments of the game, Qingdao seized the opportunity from Liaoning's fouls and took the lead through free throws. Liaoning quickly called a timeout, but in the last two seconds, Han Dejun's buzzer-beater missed, and Qingdao ultimately won 103-100. This victory not only allowed Qingdao to double-kill the defending champions but also created an important record in the team's history.
In this game, Qingdao's victory was inseparable from Wesperson's comprehensive performance. He contributed 25 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds, excelling not only in offense but also helping his teammates score through precise passes. Wang Ruize and Yang Hanshen also made important contributions, scoring 22 points each, with Yang Hanshen having a comprehensive data of 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
On the other hand, despite Ferg's personal tally of 41 points, Liaoning's collapse in the final quarter and Ferg's poor performance cost them the chance to win. Especially in the critical moments, Liaoning failed to control the game's rhythm and effectively limit the performance of Qingdao's foreign and domestic players, ultimately letting victory slip away.
Through this victory, Qingdao Men's Basketball Team once again demonstrated their strong resilience and execution in decisive moments. They not only broke Liaoning's winning streak but also showcased their potential when facing the defending champions. For Liaoning, this game was undoubtedly a wake-up call. Although they once overtook and took the lead in the second half, the collapse at the end and mistakes in the critical moments caused them to miss out on what should have been their victory.
This game was full of drama, and Qingdao's comeback not only displayed the team's spiritual strength but also made the ranking situation in the CBA more unpredictable. Next, both Qingdao and Liaoning will face more intense competitions. How the teams adjust their states to stand out in the upcoming season is something worth our continued attention.