Chinese Basketball Association: Nanjing heading into break with momentum

World
Europe

02:57

While the teams near the top of the CBA standings continue to roll along, it's been a different story at the other end of the table. Sides closer to the bottom, like Beikong and Nanjing, know the league's upcoming break could be a last chance to turn things around, and leave their early struggles behind. Damion Jones has more.

The Beikong Fly Dragons and Nanjing Monkey Kings both opened the current CBA season in wretched form, as the losses quickly piled up, over the first third of the campaign. But the winners of their clash at the Chinese capital's Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium would go into the international break with momentum, and renewed confidence.

JOE YOUNG NANJING MONKEY KINGS GUARD "I feel like, you know, we started off the season kind of bad. We were just, you know, new team, new coach, you know, new players, and I felt like the guys turned it around. We had good practices and the guys are coming together and this is a big win, especially our first road win that we had all year."

Joe Young is in his first stint in China after three years with the NBA's Indiana Pacers, and finds himself matched up with another league newcomer in early scoring leader Pierre Jackson, whose 43½ points per game have not been sparking Beikong to wins. But the Fly Dragons say they're figuring out the problems, and endeavoring to flip the script.

PIERRE JACKSON BEIKONG FLY DRAGONS GUARD "I think it's all about just, they get the shots, we all get the shots. It's just, you know, it's just a point of making them. And just gotta keep taking 'em to make 'em, so I think once we, you know, everybody gets their confidence to where it needs to be, I think we'll be alright."

SHAVLIK RANDOLPH BEIKONG FLY DRAGONS FORWARD "I think it's best for everybody on our team just to get away from the game for a little bit, and try and come back, and get back to practice, get all our players healthy, and really try and figure out why we can't seem to get some of these wins here."

Nanjing would enjoy a strong start, with Young wasting no time getting on the road to 51 points, his third straight contest topping the half-century mark. And with the former Dallas Mavericks floor general, Jackson, not really finding his rhythm until after half-time en route to just 33, the Monkey Kings are poised to begin the upcoming hiatus, with a more solid foundation to build on.

DAMION JONES BEIJING "The CBA's international break will provide both Beikong and Nanjing with a chance to catch their breath, while trying to make improvements aimed at turning things around, and injecting new life into their so far subpar campaigns."

Young's explosive performance in this showdown helps the Monkey Kings prevail 117-110, their third triumph in a row and fifth overall, while Jackson and the Fly Dragons remain stuck on three victories in 15 outings, and heading back to the drawing board, in a last ditch attempt to mount a credible push for one of the league's 12 playoff spots. DJ, CGTN, Beijing.