Guangdong into playoffs semis, oust Zhejiang
Eleven players scored as the Guangdong Southern Tigers concluded its best-of-five Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) League playoffs quarterfinal series with a 117-82 away victory over the Zhejiang Lions in Game 4 on Thursday, securing a final four berth.
In a game marked by the absence of key big men - Guangdong's Zhou Qi, suspended for two games after elbowing Li Jinxiao in Game 3, and Zhejiang's Hu Jinqiu sidelined due to injury - the Southern Tigers dominated the court, particularly excelling in the backcourt battle.
Guangdong shot much better, sinking 14 3-pointers compared to Zhejiang's three out of 28 attempts. Furthermore, the visitors' dominance in height translated into a commanding performance on the boards, outrebounding Zhejiang 55-40.
Hu Mingxuan netted seven 3-pointers to notch a team-leading 23 points, and Du Runwang added 18. Tremont Waters handed in a double-double of 11 points and 11 assists.
For Zhejiang, guard Sun Minghui clinched a game-high 27 points, with 15 from the free throw line, and Quinndary Weatherspoon added 25.
In the upcoming semifinal series, the Southern Tigers will face off against the Liaoning Flying Leopards, who advanced after a 3-0 series win over the Shenzhen Aviators.