CBA: Xinjiang Flying Tigers edge past Fujian Sturgeons in overtime thriller

In a nail-biting showdown in the CBA, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers edged the Fujian Sturgeons 111-108 in overtime on the road on Sunday, despite a spectacular performance from the home side's Travis Trice, who tallied game highs of 41 points and 12 assists.

Trice's stellar play allowed Fujian to grab a lead of seven points in the second quarter. Xinjiang faced a formidable challenge, as head coach Liu Wei was absent due to personal reasons, leaving assistant coach Kang Jung-soo to take the reins.

Qi Lin emerged as the main offensive engine for the Flying Tigers, contributing 19 points in the second half. But the contest took a turn when Qi, who finished with a team-high 26 points, suffered an ankle sprain and was forced to exit the court late in the fourth quarter.

With Qi sidelined, the Sturgeons seized the opportunity. In a dramatic late moment, Trice nailed a clutch jumper to tie the score at 102-102, forcing overtime.

Xinjiang regrouped with Elfuratt Mohetaner and Abdusalam Abdurexit stepping up in the extra period. The duo jointly accounted for 30 points, including a combined nine in overtime, to seal the hard-fought win for the Flying Tigers.

In other action, the Guangzhou Loong Lions triumphed over the Tianjin Pioneers 108-106 on the road in another overtime thriller.

Li Xiangbo's dunk helped Guangzhou maintain an early lead, while Javion Hamlet kept Tianjin in the hunt by pouring in 16 of his 20 points in the third quarter. Despite trailing by 10 at the end of the period, the Pioneers rallied with Lin Ting-Chien netting 15 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter to help force overtime.

Lindell Wigginton added 15 of his team-high 26 points in the tense extra period, including a decisive pair of free throws, sealing a second consecutive victory for the Loong Lions.