CBA- Shandong Men’s Basketball Team defeated Zhejiang Men’s Basketball Team in an away game

On the evening of October 22, during the fifth round of the 2024-2025 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), the Zhejiang men’s basketball team faced off against the Shandong men’s basketball team in Shaoxing, coming up short with a final score of 102 to 108. Shandong’s foreign player, Gaily, made an impressive mark against his former team, scoring a game-high 34 points along with 4 rebounds and 9 assists. For Zhejiang, Jones led the scoring with 25 points and 6 rebounds.

Both teams entered the season with a record of two wins and two losses. Zhejiang had previously lost to Liaoning and won against Jilin before suffering another defeat at home against Shanxi. However, their last game saw them secure a commanding 37-point victory over Shanghai. Shandong’s two losses had both come at the hands of Guangsha.

The game began with Zhejiang quickly establishing their outside shooting, as Jones, Wang Yibo, Wu Qian, and Bass all hit three-pointers. Shandong, led by Gao Shiyan and other key players, kept pace and even briefly took the lead. By the end of the first quarter, despite shifting their offensive focus to the paint, Zhejiang only led by 2 points due to defensive challenges.

In the second quarter, both teams exchanged leads. However, with strong inside performances from Jones and Yu Jiahao, Zhejiang started to pull away, forcing Shandong to call a timeout. After the break, both teams intensified their offensive efforts but struggled with fouls. By halftime, Shandong managed to exploit Zhejiang’s defensive gaps and regained the lead.

As the second half commenced, Shandong’s foreign players Gaily and Chris found their rhythm, quickly extending the lead to 7 points. Zhejiang’s Bass and Jones responded with scoring drives, but Shandong maintained a superior overall performance, leading 83 to 75 by the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Zhejiang began to find their scoring touch, with Cheng Shuai Peng hitting a crucial three-pointer and Bass making two free throws to equalize the score. However, down the stretch, Gaily continued to deliver against his former team, allowing Shandong to pull back ahead. Ultimately, Zhejiang fell 102 to 108.

Post-game, Shandong’s head coach Qiu Biao commented, “Zhejiang is a strong team that has excelled in recent years. Our willingness to compete with strong teams was evident today. One of our best aspects was starting from our defense, and we also had better stamina than Zhejiang.”