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Guandong wins CBA crown after sweep
By Zha Minjie |
March 30, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Guangdong Southern Tigers won their eighth China Basketball Association championship in the past 10 years after defeating the Shandong Flaming Bulls 94-74 yesterday in Jinan to sweep the best of seven series 4-0.
Yi Jianlian, a former NBA player and Guangdong's top player, led the team, scoring a game-high 24 points and adding 13 rebounds.
"We promised the fans we would win and we did it," said Yi, who returned to the CBA this season after failing to secure a contract in the NBA. "Everyone on the team has worked hard so that we could become the champions."
Yi was also crowned the most valuable player of the finals.
Guandong built a 43-34 lead at halftime, but the Bulls were not about to give in without a fight on their home court. Shandong clawed to within 1 point near the end of the third quarter.
However, they couldn't match Guangdong's intensity in the fourth quarter as Yi and Ike Diogu provided many problems for the Bulls' defense in the paint.
"We saw big changes this season with Yi's return," said Du Feng, the head coach of the Southern Tigers, who was looking beyond this season's championship.
"We hope our young players can improve quickly," Du said. The Southern Tigers boast Chinese national team players Wang Shipeng and Zhu Fangyu, who are in their 30s, so the squad needs some new blood if they want to continue to dominate the CBA.
Guangdong lost the title last season to the Beijing Ducks, who were led by former NBA star Stephon Marbury.
Shandong head coach Gong Xiaobin was gracious in defeat.
"It was a victory for us to reach the finals," he said.
He was optimistic about the team's future as they finished second in the 17-team league during the regular season, improving from 13th the previous season.
The CBA has grown gradually by attracting some former NBA stars such as Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas. Under league rules, each team is allowed up to three foreign players. The league will add an 18th team next season.
Both McGrady and Arenas have not said whether they will continue to play in the league next season.
Yi Jianlian, a former NBA player and Guangdong's top player, led the team, scoring a game-high 24 points and adding 13 rebounds.
"We promised the fans we would win and we did it," said Yi, who returned to the CBA this season after failing to secure a contract in the NBA. "Everyone on the team has worked hard so that we could become the champions."
Yi was also crowned the most valuable player of the finals.
Guandong built a 43-34 lead at halftime, but the Bulls were not about to give in without a fight on their home court. Shandong clawed to within 1 point near the end of the third quarter.
However, they couldn't match Guangdong's intensity in the fourth quarter as Yi and Ike Diogu provided many problems for the Bulls' defense in the paint.
"We saw big changes this season with Yi's return," said Du Feng, the head coach of the Southern Tigers, who was looking beyond this season's championship.
"We hope our young players can improve quickly," Du said. The Southern Tigers boast Chinese national team players Wang Shipeng and Zhu Fangyu, who are in their 30s, so the squad needs some new blood if they want to continue to dominate the CBA.
Guangdong lost the title last season to the Beijing Ducks, who were led by former NBA star Stephon Marbury.
Shandong head coach Gong Xiaobin was gracious in defeat.
"It was a victory for us to reach the finals," he said.
He was optimistic about the team's future as they finished second in the 17-team league during the regular season, improving from 13th the previous season.
The CBA has grown gradually by attracting some former NBA stars such as Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas. Under league rules, each team is allowed up to three foreign players. The league will add an 18th team next season.
Both McGrady and Arenas have not said whether they will continue to play in the league next season.
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