Shanghai Sharks clinch CBA Club Cup as Bledsoe earns MVP

The Shanghai Sharks have won the inaugural CBA Club Cup after outclassing the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. This tournament was introduced as an independent cup competition during the breaks of the 2024-2025 CBA season; although its results do not impact the regular season standings, the intensity of the matchups was palpable.

After a series of hard-fought games, the undefeated Shanghai team faced off against the equally impressive Xinjiang in the final. The first quarter was marked by an intense defensive struggle, with the Sharks managing just one field goal from open play. Despite Kenneth Lofton's perfect eight-for-eight performance at the free-throw line, Shanghai found themselves trailing 13-16 at the end of the first period.

In the second quarter, both teams began to hit their offensive stride. With D.J. Wilson and Wang Zhelin leading the charge, the Sharks mounted a 13-3 scoring run to take the lead. However, Xinjiang rallied to regain the upper hand, heading into halftime with a narrow 42-38 advantage.

The second half saw former NBA guard Eric Bledsoe unleash his scoring prowess, racking up 15 points in the third quarter alone. He continued to shine in the final period, adding another 16 points to his tally. Despite a determined response from Xinjiang's Abudushalamu Abudurexiti, Bledsoe and Lofton consistently converted their free throws, maintaining their lead until the final buzzer sounded. In the end, the Sharks celebrated a nine-point victory and secured the championship title.

Bledsoe, who led all scorers with an impressive 31 points, was honored as the MVP of the hard-fought final. "Both teams played incredibly hard today, keeping the suspense alive until the very end," reflected the 35-year-old. "The coach placed a lot of trust in me during critical moments, and I seized the opportunity to achieve this victory alongside my teammates."