Shandong wins to secure quarterfinal spot in CBA Club Cup

The group stage of the second CBA Club Cup concluded as the Shandong Kylins defeated the Qingdao Eagles 100-93 in Group A to claim the final ticket to the quarterfinals.

Gao Shiyan assisted Jalen Powell, who hit a corner three to put Shandong ahead by eight points. Derek Purcell then found Powell for another corner three, extending Shandong's lead to ten.

Qingdao's Joseph Young responded with a long-range shot, cutting the deficit to one point. Young later scored a lay-up on his way to a game-high 32 points.

Marquese Chriss' lay-up increased Shandong's lead to five. A misstep by Quinndary Weatherspoon led to a steal by Purcell, who converted it into a lay-up, giving Shandong a four-point advantage. Gao Shiyan later sealed the victory, and Shandong triumphed 100-93 to advance to the quarterfinals.

The group stage, held across four host cities, concluded on Monday with Guangsha defeating Beijing, finalizing all four quarterfinal pairings.

Group A games took place in Changsha, where the Guangsha Lions topped the standings and earned a quarterfinal clash with Group C runner-up, the Jilin Northeast Tigers. In Wuhan, the Shanxi Loongs won Group D and are set to face the Beikong Royal Fighters, who finished second in Group B in Nanchang. Group B winners and defending champions, the Shanghai Sharks, were drawn against 11-time CBA champions, the Guangdong Southern Tigers. The Zhejiang Golden Bulls, who led Group C in Nanning, will meet the Shandong Kylins.

The knockout phase is scheduled to begin on February 6 in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.