Talk about a nail-biter! The defending champions, the Guangsha Lions, just proved why you should never count them out. Facing a must-win scenario to keep their title dreams alive, the Lions roared back with a gritty 101-93 victory over the Shanghai Sharks, stopping a potential sweep in the best-of-seven CBA Finals series. 🏀🔥
A Hot Start ⚡️
Right from the jump, Hu Jinqiu was on a mission. The reigning regular-season MVP was absolutely unstoppable, going a perfect six-of-six from the floor in the first quarter alone. With 14 quick points, he powered Guangsha to a commanding 28-18 lead, setting the energy for the entire night.
The Sharks Fight Back 🦈
But the Shanghai Sharks weren't about to go down without a fight. The second quarter saw a massive shift in momentum. Wang Zhelin brought the heat on defense, delivering a huge block on Joshua Carlton that fired up the Sharks' squad. After a clutch three-pointer from Liu Cheng, the game leveled out, and both teams headed into the halftime break locked in a 49-49 tie. The tension was real! 😱
Closing the Deal 🏆
The second half belonged to the Lions' sharpshooters. Rayjon Tucker ignited the crowd with consecutive three-pointers to reclaim the lead, and Barry Brown—last season's Finals MVP—showed exactly why he's a legend in the making. Brown connected with Zhu Junlong for a wide-open triple and finished the night with a stellar 27 points.
Between Brown's precision and Hu Jinqiu's dominant 30-point performance, the Lions secured the win and narrowed the series gap to 3-1. ✨
What's Next? 📅
The drama isn't over yet! The Sharks are heading back home to Shanghai to try and close out the championship in Game Five this Friday. However, with this win, the Lions have found their spark and a fresh wave of hope to defend their crown. Who you rooting for? 🦁 vs 🦈
Reference(s):
Guangsha Lions ease elimination worries with key win over Shanghai
cgtn.com
