CBA- Guangsha Men’s Basketball Team narrowly defeated Nanjing Men’s Basketball Team and won a “good start” at home

On the evening of October 15, the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions faced off against the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the second round of the 2024-2025 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season at their home court in Hangzhou. Both teams exhibited a strong desire to win, but it was Guangsha who held their nerve in the final minutes, ultimately securing a narrow victory with a score of 115-112 in their home opener.

In the game’s opening moments, Guangsha’s new recruit, Barry Brown, made a crucial steal and scored, setting the tone for the night. Sun Minghui followed up with a steal of his own, assisting Nate with a three-pointer. Hua Jinqui then delivered a powerful one-handed dunk, forcing Nanjing to call a timeout as Guangsha built an early lead. Upon returning to action, Nanjing began to find their rhythm, but they struggled to close the gap. With Nate hitting a buzzer-beater from beyond the arc, Guangsha ended the first quarter ahead 32-21.

The second quarter saw Hu Jinqiu connect on a three-pointer off a Nate assist, followed by Sun Minghui completing a three-point play. Nanjing responded with a scoring surge, aiming to narrow the deficit. However, Guangsha’s excellent offensive and defensive play towards the end of the quarter helped them maintain control, leading 61-52 at halftime.

After the break, Guangsha continued their dominant performance, steadily increasing their lead in the third quarter, with Nate and Zhu Junlong contributing three blocks. In the final quarter, Guangsha appeared to relax with their significant lead, allowing Nanjing’s Guo Haowen to spearhead a comeback. Fortunately for Guangsha, key players Hu Jinqiu and Sun Minghui rose to the occasion, converting crucial free throws to seal the win.

In this matchup, Barry Brown led all scorers with 29 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. Hu Jinqiu also had a strong showing with 27 points and 6 rebounds, while Sun Minghui added 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists. For Nanjing, Guo Haowen scored 26 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, and Lin Wei matched that with 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists.

After the game, Guangsha’s head coach Wang Bo remarked that while the team performed well in the first two quarters, allowing 43 points in the fourth quarter was concerning. He emphasized that if they want to go further in the season, they need to focus on improving their defense. Looking ahead, Guangsha will prepare to host the Shandong Heroes in their next game, having previously defeated them in their season opener.