Du leads Guangdong past Shanghai for 4-game winning streak

BEIJING - Du Runwang scored 23 points and the Guangdong Southern Tigers celebrated a four-game winning streak after beating the Shanghai Sharks 108-101 in the 2022-2023 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on Tuesday.

Shanghai used an 8-0 scoring run midway through the first quarter to race ahead to 27-23 at the end of the quarter.

Eric Bledsoe scored eight points in a row as Shanghai built a double-digit lead at the beginning of the second quarter en route to a 54-44 advantage at halftime.

Deemed one of the title favorites this season, Guangdong bounced back and kept the game close after the break, outscoring Shanghai 34-24 in the third quarter to make it an even game heading into the final frame.

Du hit a 3-pointer on a feed from Marshon Brooks, capping an 11-1 run that lifted Guangdong to a 92-83 lead with 7:10 to play.

Hu Mingxuan earned a technical foul with 3:11 remaining on the clock. Seconds later, Shanghai center Wang Zhelin cut the deficit to a single digit with an attempt beyond the arc. However, after Liu Zhengqing missed a layup with 36 seconds to go, Shanghai had its hopes of staying alive in the game fade away.

Hu pocketed 20 points for Guangdong. On the Shanghai side, Wang finished with a double-double of 19 points and 15 rebounds.

In a repeat of last season's finals, the Zhejiang Lions escaped with an 88-85 victory over the defending champions Liaoning Flying Leopards.

Hu Jinqiu and Sun Minghui contributed to an 8-1 spurt in the last two minutes and 43 seconds as Zhejiang turned the game around and pocketed its sixth straight victory. Sun had a game-high 28 points, while Zhu Junlong added 26.

Elsewhere, the Jiangsu Dragons beat the Jilin Northeast Tigers 113-101, the Fujian Sturgeons lost to the Guangzhou Loong Lions 115-100, the Shanxi Loongs saw off the Sichuan Blue Whales 128-111, the Ningbo Rockets won against the Tianjin Pioneers 90-84, the Shandong Heroes edged the Nanjing Monkey Kings 126-119, and the Shenzhen Aviators suffered a 99-94 defeat at the hands of the Zhejiang Golden Bulls.