On May 10, the second game of the CBA playoff quarterfinals between Shanxi and defending champion Zhejiang Guangsha delivered high drama. After losing Game 1 on the road 92-90, Guangsha faced elimination on Shanxi’s home court but responded with a gritty 86-81 victory, leveling the best-of-three series at 1-1 and setting up a decisive third game.
The pregame narrative was clear: Guangsha boasted a 33-9 regular-season record, while Shanxi entered with a 21-21 mark. Historically, Shanxi held a 19-34 disadvantage against Guangsha, and the defending champions had eliminated them in the playoffs three times in the past two seasons.
Sun Minghui traveled with the team to Taiyuan but did not make the active roster, putting the offensive and defensive burden on domestic stars and the import players.
From the opening tip, Guangsha seized control. Brown attacked the rim and drew fouls, while Zhu Junlong connected from deep to build an early lead. Shanxi stayed close behind free throws from Fa Ye and a buzzer-beating three from Zhang Ning, trailing 25-21 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Shanxi briefly cut the deficit with an and-one play, but Guangsha quickly answered with three-pointers. A 8-2 run pushed Guangsha’s lead to 10 points. Shanxi’s perimeter shooting improved, and Nix hit a buzzer-beating three to trim the margin to 46-41 at halftime.
At the break, Shanxi’s starters had scored just 18 points combined, while the bench stepped up: Zhang Ning had 6, Diallo 8, and Jiao Hailong 5. For Guangsha, Hu Jinqiu tallied 9 points and 5 rebounds, and Zhao Jiaren also contributed 9 off the bench, showcasing balanced inside-outside scoring.
The third quarter saw both teams struggle from the field, combining for only 26 points. Shanxi clawed back two points and entered the final frame trailing by just three. In the fourth, the teams traded baskets, but Guangsha maintained a slim lead. Shanxi mounted multiple comebacks but could never deliver the decisive blow, falling by five points at home and squandering their chance to close out the series.
Key individual performances defined the outcome: Guangsha import Brown finished with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, directing the offense while creating his own shots. Hu Jinqiu recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, providing reliable interior scoring and rebounding.
For Shanxi, Zhang Ning scored 13 points, hitting several crucial three-pointers and anchoring the domestic scoring. Ge Zhaobao also added 13 points, and Diallo chipped in 16 points and 7 rebounds, but the team’s overall offensive efficiency was not enough.
The loss halts Shanxi’s “dark horse” run, while the defending champions proved their resilience. With the series now tied, both teams head to a single-elimination Game 3, where the winner advances to the semifinals.