Defending champions Guangdong have completed their quest for a third straight CBA title after they beat Bayi, the Army team, 88-81 to wind up the final series 4-1.
(Photo source: sina.com)
Road to the Champions:
To the delight of the home fans, this is the first time Guangdong have won on home court.
The hosts started strong, leading 11-4 early in the first quarter. However, Bayi, led by shooter Li Nan, replied with accurate long shots and reversed the score to 24-20 by the end of the period.
Bayi remained bullish after the break and appeared certain for their second win and ensure the finals go down to the wire, but an 8-0 run by the home team brought them back into the fight.
Leading 44-39 into the third quarter, Guangdong sent in its two foreign imports - American center Jason and forward Terrence. The duo, together with local teenage star Yi Jianlian gave the Tigers dominance under the hoop.
Relying on Yi's points in the paint, Guangdong expanded their lead as Bayi struggled in their long-range efforts. The home team had a 10-point cushion, leading 61-51 going into the last quarter.
But the Army team refused to give up the fight. Three Bayi players sank three-pointers to cut the deficit down to two points. With the score reading 64-66, it could have gone either way. Expectedly, the result wasn't decided until the final minutes.
A strong defense, coupled with Jason's layups, gave Guangdong a 82-78 edge and put it on course for another win.
Yi scored a match-high 26 points with 11 rebounds.
"This is a team victory," Yi said after the buzzer.
The 19-year-old center was reportedly set to follow Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming for the NBA draft this year but he has denied any such plans and insisted that he needs more time to prepare for the big league. |
Producer: Lu Xiaohong 
