Guangdong defeat Zhejiang 93-65 to lead group at 15th National Games

The men's basketball group stage at China's 15th National Games wrapped up in Dongguan on Saturday. Co-hosts Guangdong defeated Zhejiang 93-65, clinching the top spot in its group with a perfect 3-0 record.

Both teams entered the battle for first place with two consecutive wins. The tournament format sends the top two teams from each of the three groups, along with the two best third-place finishers, into the quarterfinals.

Veteran forward Zhou Peng found the net with a three-pointer, giving Guangdong an early 8-5 lead. Captain Zhao Rui extended the advantage to double digits, en route to finishing the game with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

Guangdong reinforced its status as a top title contender by expanding the margin in the second quarter. Zhejiang refused to surrender, however, with center Yu Jiahao holding his own against multiple big men in the paint, on the way to a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Hu Mingxuan and Xu Jie each contributed 14 points for Guangdong, helping the team from the National Games co-host province cruise to a 28-point victory.