German's winner lifts Beijing Ducks over Guangdong Southern Tigers after late comeback

Eugene German connected from deep when it mattered most, drilling a clutch three-pointer to lift the Beijing Ducks to a 96-93 road win over the Guangdong Southern Tigers in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, on Friday.

The victory, Beijing's 20th of the season, pushed the Ducks past Guangdong into provisional third place in the Chinese Basketball Association standings.

Beijing appeared to be in trouble early, trailing by as many as 20 points in the second quarter, 43-23. The visitors flipped the script after halftime, however, outscoring the Southern Tigers 54-39 in the second half to complete a stunning comeback.

The bench proved decisive for the Ducks, with four reserves scoring in double figures. Zhao Rui led the way with 23 points, while German added 20, including a trio of shots from beyond the arc. JaVale McGee posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, with Fang Shuo contributing 10 points.

The closing stage delivered all the drama.

Guangdong held a 90-87 lead with under three minutes remaining, before German and Zhang Cairen each nailed shots from long range to put Beijing ahead 93-90. Edmond Sumner responded with a game-tying three with 15 seconds left, finishing with 28 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Nonetheless, the Ducks had the final word.

German took the last possession and buried the go-ahead triple, leaving the hosts with just half-a-second to respond. But the Southern Tigers misfired at the final buzzer, suffering their fourth last-second-shot home defeat of the season.

In other action, defending champion the Guangsha Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 91-81 road win over the hapless Sichuan Blue Whales.

Hu Jinqiu led Guangsha with 23 points, while Rayjon Tucker added a double-double of 16 points and 10 assists off the bench for the Lions.

Sichuan's struggles continued, as the Blue Whales remain winless for the season with a 31-game losing streak.

Friday's other results (home teams listed first):

Fujian Sturgeons 104-107 Shenzhen Leopards

Jiangsu Dragons 78-72 Jilin Northeast Tigers

Shanxi Loongs 100-94 Shandong Kylins

Tianjin Pioneers 96-112 Shanghai Sharks