By Zhao Rui (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-03 10:36

The Guangdong Horses were predictable heroes in what turned out to be one of the most unpredictable Chinese Basketball Association CBA seasons on record.

Despite the absence of superstar Yi Jianlian, the fist-pumping Horses are headed to the playoffs after the franchise's best-ever season. But their achievement has been overshadowed by a multitude of unruly fans, whose bottle-throwing and obscenity-laced antics have marred an otherwise successful year.

Over the past three months, the league best known for generating NBA sensations like Yao Ming and Yi was instead awash in headlines of court violence, misbehaving fans and cheating referees.

Concerns of badly managed games and spectator violence that have hurt China's men's soccer league have now also blighted basketball.

Last week's final game of 2007, which saw the Horses take on sixth-ranked Shangdong Gold in Shangdong, saw plastic cups and water bottles rain down on the court after some questionable calls. The game was halted for seven minutes as Guangdong's head coach Li Chunjiang exchanged some heated words with a technical staffer after Li's assistant was hit in face by a water bottle thrown by a spectator.

CBA spectator violence has grown rapidly since the league tipped off in October. Games were criticized as being "totally out of control" by state media after three separate incidents similar to what happened in Shangdong occurred on the home court of Shaanxi Dongsheng in Xi'an.

"For players, it really hurts," said Guangdong forward Du Feng. "I am very disappointed. You play so hard for fans but they curse you and throw bottles at you. Maybe you ask yourself 'why do I play?'. I understand fans want their home teams to win. The problem is that they have never considered the players' safety and feelings.

"Where are the police and security when we are attacked by fans? I guess the league has certain regulations on what they should do, but definitely they did nothing."

The league's governing body - the Chinese Administrative Center of Basketball - reacted quickly to the incidents, slapping the clubs hosting misbehaving fans with a 10,000 yuan ($1,351) fine. But it seems far less effective than the efforts their NBA counterparts have made to curb unruly behavior.

After the infamous on-court brawl between fans and players in 2004, the NBA moved to limit such image-harming incidents by implementing a zero-tolerance policy for players. By that policy, a player arguing a call or even throwing up his hands in frustration would get a technical foul and a fine. Those strict regulations, which were somewhat relaxed in subsequent years, effectively controlled players' on-court behavior, and with added spectator security, quelled fan violence as well.

China has started working on similar regulations.

"We will try to find more ways to educate our players and fans in the new year," said Hao Guohua, director of the CBA's managing office. "We have worked for more than ten years to make the CBA a better league and we have our world-famous stars like Yi and Yao, so we cannot let its image get destroyed by such problems.

"Everybody takes the things seriously, I am sure you will see a decent solution in the very near future."

Bayi's struggles

Whether or not the violence diminishes in the near future, on the court fans have something to look forward to in the upcoming playoffs.

CBA giants Guangdong and Bayi Rockets are headed in different directions going into the final two games of the 30-game regular season.

For the first time in the league's 13-year history, the defending champions - Bayi, in this case - will finish the regular season outside of the top three. Bayi had its worst season in franchise history, currently ranked No 8 with a 16-12 record.

But Bayi's head coach Adijiang refuses to throw in the towel.

"Bayi won't give up," he said after his side lost to the bottom-ranked Shanghai Sharks last week. "We won't fall all of a sudden, the team is getting better as the season continues. Now we are making the last preparation for the playoffs and I am confident my boys will be as solid as ever in the coming games."

As their archrivals fall, Guangdong (24-4) will look to seize the regular season title against Xinjiang Guanghui (also 24-4), which was boosted by the presence of former San Antonio Spurs center Menk Bateer this season.

Liaoning Panpan, Dongguan New Century and Jiangsu Nangang are also in title contention.

Hao said he was pleased with the level of competition this year.

"I'd like to see more teams striving for the title rather than just Guangdong and Bayi," he said. "This year, a number of young players are improving so fast and they led their teams to challenge the old powers, I am sure that's what fans are excited to see."