Xinjiang ends Shanxi's winning streak in high-stakes CBA thriller

The much-anticipated blockbuster between the Xinjiang Flying Tigers and the Shanxi Loongs on Sunday night lived up to the hype, emerging as the most thrilling matchup of this CBA season so far.

Xinjiang, with its powerful lineup, had been riding high on a remarkable 12-game home winning streak. Meanwhile, Shanxi, exhibiting a well-rounded attack and defense, had also been in excellent form, boasting a seven-game winning streak of their own.

In a nail-biting contest, Xinjiang ultimately outclassed Shanxi 128-121 in overtime, maintaining their astonishing home record.

The first quarter saw both teams trading blows, with neither able to gain a significant advantage. After a 10-10 tie, Xinjiang surged ahead with a quick six-point run. However, Shanxi countered effectively, leveraging their inside game to close the gap to just a single point by the end of the quarter.

The second quarter witnessed Xinjiang's Li Yanzhe and Abudurexiti Abudushalamu catch fire, combining for 18 points and becoming the primary offensive weapons for the hosts. Shanxi responded in kind, with Yuan Shuai knocking down multiple three-pointers and former NBA star Hamidou Diallo frequently penetrating Xinjiang's defense. The lead shifted back and forth, and just before halftime, Diallo's three-pointer allowed Shanxi to take a narrow 54-53 edge into the break.

The third quarter proved pivotal, as Xinjiang began to assert their dominance. Xierzhati Saimati exploded for 12 points, with additional contributions from Qi Lin and Dedric Lawson. The team outscored Shanxi by 17 points in this period, stretching their lead to 16 and taking control of the game.

However, the fourth quarter brought an unexpected twist, as Xinjiang fell into a scoring slump. Shanxi, led by Brandon Goodwin, seized the opportunity, regaining the lead with just five minutes remaining. Q.J. Peterson then stepped up, drawing fouls and sinking free throws to tie the game once again. In the final minute, Zhang Ning made a crucial jump shot, but Lawson quickly answered with two free throws after being fouled. With Goodwin missing a long-range three-pointer, the game proceeded to overtime.

In the extra period, Peterson and Saimati wasted no time, each hitting three-pointers that gave Xinjiang an early advantage. Goodwin managed to score with a driving layup, but Xinjiang's Zhang and Qi responded with key baskets. Despite Shanxi's attempts to rally, including a three-pointer from Zhang, Lawson's successful free throws sealed the deal. In the end, Xinjiang brought Shanxi's seven-game winning streak to a halt in front of their enthusiastic home crowd.

Elsewhere on Sunday, the Beikong Royal Fighters edged the Shenzhen Leopards 109-95. With this victory, the capital club moved up to ninth place, while the Leopards remained in 16th.