JINAN, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Sharks cruised to a 111-72 home victory over the Jilin Northeast Tigers over the weekend, extending their winning streak to 16 games and matching their run from last season in the 35th round of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
Facing the traditional powerhouse on Sunday, Jilin kept the contest tight in the opening quarter, with Shanghai holding a narrow 22-20 lead. The Sharks then pulled away in the second quarter, tightening their defense and capitalizing on fast breaks to outscore Jilin 36-13 and take control of the game.
In the second half, Brandon Goodwin hit three three-pointers and scored 11 points in the third quarter for Shanghai, further widening the gap. In the final quarter, the Sharks comfortably sealed the win.
Alongside Shanghai's teamwork and home-court advantage, the contribution of key players was pivotal. Yan Pengfei had 21 points, seven rebounds and one assist while shooting 100 percent from the field, and Goodwin added 20 points, six rebounds and 11 assists. For Jilin, Dallas Moore contributed 11 points, three rebounds and three assists, but his efforts were not enough to change the outcome.
The Shandong Heroes edged past the Guangdong Southern Tigers 99-86 on Monday. Just two days earlier, Shandong had managed only 66 points in an away loss to the Ningbo Rockets, marking its lowest single-game total of the season and its first-ever defeat to Ningbo.
Adding to the concern was the absence of foreign player Marquese Chriss, who was ruled out with an injury, potentially weakening Shandong's interior defense and scoring.
Nevertheless, Shandong delivered a composed performance to underline their quality. The Heroes built a 56-39 lead by halftime and went on to secure the 99-86 victory.
Elsewhere, the Liaoning Dinosaurs routed the Sichuan Pingsheng Whales 106-64, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls edged the Fujian Sturgeons 96-87, the Beijing Ducks beat the Nanjing Tongxi Dasheng 106-92, the Tianjin Pioneers defeated the Ningbo Rockets 102-89, the Qingdao Eagles edged the Shanxi Brave Dragons 100-97, the Suzhou Dragons edged the Beijing Royal Fighters 89-88, the Zhejiang Lions beat the Guangzhou Loong Lions 88-81, and the Shenzhen Leopards defeated the Xinjiang Flying Tigers 102-97.
