JINAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Zhejiang Golden Bulls' winning streak ended in the Zhejiang derby after the team lost to the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions 97-94, while the Shanxi Loongs beat the Nanjing Monkey Kings 119-114 in the 2022-2023 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on Saturday.
Prior to the game, the Golden Bulls had notched 10 consecutive wins to hold the first place firmly. However, things were not easy for them in the derby clash.
Hu Jinqiu and Wiltjer scored points to help the Lions take the lead first, and they also applied enough pressure on defense to lead the first quarter 24-22.
The Golden Bulls revived the momentum as they hit four 3-pointers in a row and took a seven-point lead in the second quarter. After the two teams exchanged blows, the Lions wrapped up the first half to lead by five points.
Wu Qian led the Golden Bulls' fast breaks in the second half, hitting 3-pointers consecutively and helping his team turn around the situation by leading 11 points.
Sun Minghui and Wiltjer stood out for the Lions to catch up on the scoreline. The two teams fought hard until the last seconds of the game. Sun hit two critical free throws and helped his team claim the victory.
Wiltjer scored a game-high 27 points, and Sun added 24 points and nine assists for the Lions. As for the Golden Bulls, five players got double-digit, led by Wu Qian's 19.
In another hard-fought game, the Nanjing Monkey Kings led the game against the Shanxi Loongs 93-86 after three quarters.
In the last quarter, the scoreline was tied several times. Zhang Chunjun's 3-pointer helped Shanxi establish a five-point lead in the last minute, and the team managed to keep it until the last whistle.
Nanjing Lin Wei got 14 points in the game.
In another game on Saturday, the Beijing Royal Fighters swept past the Qingdao Eagles 110-83. ■
