CBA Roundup: Beijing stuns Shanghai, Sichuan beats Fujian

Beijing (China) Oct 23: The Beijing Ducks defeated the Shanghai Sharks 109-103 to end the latter's winning streak in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) here on Friday.
Signing star players including Wang Zhelin and Jamaal Franklin, Shanghai enjoyed two victories in the first two rounds of the season, winning by 60 points in total and averaging 119 points per game.
After tipoff, Shanghai took an early lead 27-21 before Beijing surpassed by 34-29 after a 13-2 streak. The two teams exchanged the lead several times in the middle of the game but Beijing gradually gained the upper hand with steady shooting. Shanghai only made four 3-pointers in the game as Franklin missed all his nine attempts.
Liu Xiaoyu led Beijing with 24 points, six rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. Wang Zhelin had a game-high 27 points and nine rebounds. Franklin contributed 17 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists.
The Fujian Sturgeons went through ups and downs in the game against the Sichuan Blue Whales. Fujian was limited to eight points in the second quarter, trailing by 28 points at the end of the first half before they stormed 20-0 to cut the deficit to six points after the interval. However, Sichuan soon established a two-digit lead again with consecutive three-pointers and sealed the victory by 101-80.
Qu Junxuan, the No.1 pick in the 2020 CBA Draft had a career-high 16 points and four blocks. Chen Linjian led Fujian with 28 points. Sichuan's Han Shuo had 14 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.
The Zhejiang Lions smashed the Shandong Heroes 112-92. Shandong's two-time MVP winner Ding Yanyuhang, who had 19 points in the first round after being absent for more than three years due to knee injury, played for only two minutes without scoring.
In another game on Friday, the Ningbo Rockets lost to the Nanjing Monkey Kings 97-73 to remain winless in their debut season.
Source: Xinhua