A victorious start to the season opener! Three foreign players combined for 42 points while Sun Minghui scored only 5, as Zhejiang Guangsha easily defeated Shanxi.

On December 12th Beijing time, in the CBA season opener, Guangsha hosted Shanxi and secured an 88-74 victory, setting a positive tone for their championship defense.

Guangsha’s Brown scored 16 points and made 3 steals, Tucker contributed 16 points, Hu Jinqiu had 13 points and 6 rebounds, and Sampson recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds; Shanxi’s Diallo posted 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks, Jiao Hailong had 15 points and 6 rebounds, while Norvell scored 15 points.

In the first quarter, Jiao Hailong hit an open three-pointer, Liu Chuanxing aggressively scored under the basket, and Jiao’s cut to the basket resulted in a successful layup, helping Shanxi achieve an 11-4 dream start. Carlton scored consecutive baskets inside, Hu Jinqiu easily finished under the basket, and Guangsha edged ahead 14-13. Lin Bingsheng attacked strongly inside, Tucker nailed a long-range shot, pushing Guangsha to a 19-13 lead. Norvell scored on a jump shot, Faye powered through inside to help Shanxi close the gap to 17-19. Both Tucker and Sampson delivered dunks, helping Guangsha finish the quarter leading 25-19.

In the second quarter, Tucker hit a long-range shot, Zhu Junlong drove along the baseline for a layup, and Guangsha grew stronger on the court, extending their lead to 35-25. Zhao Yanhao hit a mid-range jumper, Sun Minghui scored 5 points with sharp mid-to-long range shots, and Guangsha maintained a solid advantage, leading 51-41 at halftime.

During the third quarter, Zhu Junlong made a long-range shot, Brown scored a buzzer-beater jumper, keeping Guangsha firmly in control at 57-44. Zhu Junlong’s three-pointer followed, Hu Jinqiu scored on a put-back, and Guangsha expanded the lead to 65-45. Tucker hit a mid-range jumper, then combined drives and shots to score 5 more points, helping Guangsha close the quarter ahead 74-53.

In the final quarter, Hu Jinqiu scored with a floater and a hook shot under the basket, pushing Guangsha’s lead to 80-59, a 21-point margin. Han Peiyu hit a long shot, Liu Chuanxing and Han Peiyu attacked the rim consecutively, Diallo responded with 5 points from aggressive drives, aiding Shanxi’s chase. Hu Jinqiu kept attacking the basket, and Guangsha led 88-74. In the remaining minutes, Guangsha maintained their lead steadily and secured the win as expected.

Starting Lineups

Guangsha: Hu Jinqiu, Zhu Junlong, Lin Bingsheng, Tucker, Zhao Jiaren

Shanxi: Liu Chuanxing, Norvell, Zhang Ning, Yumi Ti, Han Peiyu