Guangdong prevails in CBA first phase

Defending champion Guangdong Hongyuan held the No. 1 placing of the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) when CBA was suspended for almost two months after Wednesday's 11th-round matches.

The national team will be called up for the preparation of the upcoming Asian Games. The league will be resumed on Dec. 27 after the Asian Games.

Guangdong defeated Beijing Ducks on Tuesday for its tenth win from the first 11 rounds for its target of the fourth consecutive championship.

Jiangsu Dragons maintained its second place after beating Zhejiang Cyclones 102-94 on Wednesday with a record of 9-2.

Luo Zhi buried 9-out-of-15 three-pointers to score 33 points for the Cyclones, but not enough for the road team to keep its fourth place.

The Cyclonese dropped to the sixth place with a 7-4 record when Fujian SBS and Shanghai Sharks wrapped up the first part of the season with victories.

With youngsters picking up the throne of the teams, the SBS and the Sharks are the biggest surprises of the new season when each has record of 8-3.

The SBS beat Shannxi Hans 94-88 thanks to 26 points and 10 rebounds from Chris Porter.

The Sharks, the former team of Yao Ming, had the best start of the season after Yao left to the Houston Rockets in 2002, defeated Jilin Northeast Tigers when Liu Wei and Jermaine Dearman contributing 31 and 30 pointes apiece.

Shanxi Zhongyu became the last team having a win as it edged off Yunnan Honghe 101-98.

Zhongyu, which was based in Henan province last season, avoided the bottom of the standings with a tying 1-10 record with Honghe.

Liaoning Hunters lost to Zhejiang Guangsha 95-85 on Tuesday, but still kept the third place with 8-3 record.

In the other matches on Wednesday, Bayi Rockets defeated Shandong Flaming Bulss 116-105, Dongguan New Century beat Xinjiang Guanghui 120-115.

Source: Xinhua