Shanxi ends Shandong's 11-game home winning streak with late jumper

The Shanxi Loongs defeated the Shandong Kylins 120-119 on the road in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, on Thursday night, ending the hosts' 11-game home winning streak.

Shandong trailed 7-1 less than three minutes into the first quarter, before American guard Jamar Gulley stepped up to score nine straight points. The game remained close, and the score was tied at 26-26 at the end of the opening period.

Shanxi fell into a six-minute-long offensive malaise as the second quarter began, managing to net just three points. They were outscored 15-3 by the Kylins and had to fight back from a double-digit deficit.

Brandon Goodwin and Hamidou Diallo began to drive into the paint more often, while Zhang Ning completed a four-point play for the Loongs. After Goodwin and Zhang connected for a layup, the visitors trailed 52-51 at halftime.

Several more Shanxi players heated up from downtown after the break. Xing Zhiqiang joined Zhang and Goodwin in connecting from the outside, and the Loongs led by eight points, 72-64. But Dallas Moore joined Gulley in carrying the offensive load for the Kylins, who regained a one-point lead at 119-118 with about 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

With the home team focusing most of its defensive efforts on Goodwin and Zhang, an open Jia Mingru received the ball in the corner, dodged Marquese Chriss with a pump fake, and then knocked down a long jumper to put Shanxi back on top 120-119 with just 0.2 seconds left, which was not enough time for Shandong to come back again.

In the night's other contest, the Beikong Royal Fighters edged the Jiangsu Dragons 96-95 on the road, extending the home side's losing streak to five games.

Liao Sanning made the biggest individual offensive contribution in Beikong's victory after scoring 26 points off the bench.

Jiangsu cut the gap to one point at 96-95 with 26 seconds left, and had a chance to turn the tables after denying Zhu Songwei's layup, but Liu Zexi turned the ball over on the Dragons' final possession. Although last season's Best International Player Jared Sullinger missed both free throws, the Royal Fighters managed to escape with a one-point win.