Guangdong triumphed over Liaoning in the semi-final of the basketball tournament at China’s 15th National Games, which took place in Dongguan on November 11. The victory was secured with a score of 92-73, allowing Team Guangdong to advance to the finals scheduled for November 12.
Led by impressive performances from He Xining and Zhao Rui, Guangdong put forth a strong effort to overcome defending champions Liaoning, who were seen as their primary competitors. The game began with a tight first quarter, where Liaoning’s Gao Shiyan showcased his skills by scoring 9 points with a hitting rate of 50%. However, Guangdong quickly responded, leveraging Zhao Rui’s 11 points to create a lead of 10 points by the quarter’s end.
Although Liaoning managed to close the gap to just 1 point at the start of the third quarter, Guangdong regained momentum through powerful dunks from Shen Zijie and effective layups by Xu Jie. Their efforts helped seal the game with a comfortable double-digit advantage, concluding with a score of 92-73.
Four players from Team Guangdong achieved double-digit scores, with He Xining leading the pack with 16 points. Shen Zijie and Zhao Rui closely followed with 15 points each. The composition of Team Guangdong is largely drawn from three prominent basketball clubs within the province, namely the Guangdong South Tigers, Shenzhen Leopards, and Guangzhou Loong Lions. Notably, the Guangdong South Tigers have clinched three championships in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) in recent years, further solidifying their status as a powerhouse with a total of 11 championships in league history.
In the final match, Team Guangdong will face Team Zhejiang, a rival they recently beat 93-65 in their preceding group match just days ago. This upcoming showdown promises to be a thrilling encounter as Guangdong seeks to defend their title and add another victory to their illustrious record.