In the decisive third game of the CBA quarterfinal series between Beijing and Guangdong, the Beijing men’s basketball team mounted a strong comeback on their home court, securing an 88-73 victory and advancing to the semifinals where they will face Shanghai.
The series had been tied 1-1 after Guangdong’s thrilling buzzer-beater in Game 2. In Game 3, Beijing capitalized on home-court advantage. Players like Zhou Qi and Zhao Rui, facing their former team, aimed to find their rhythm, while Guangdong fought desperately to stay alive. Young forwards Zeng Fanbo and Cui Yongxi began the game on the bench, kept as tactical reserves.
The game featured intense physical battles. Wang Shaojie committed two quick fouls against Zhou Qi in the first 90 seconds, allowing Zhou to open the scoring from the free-throw line. Both teams applied suffocating defense, making scoring from the field extremely difficult. Zhang Haojia hit a corner three-pointer, and Quin converted a driving layup to give Guangdong a 5-0 run. Beijing managed only four points from free throws in the first five minutes without a single field goal until Zhai Xiaochuan scored on a putback.
Beijing’s head coach Xu Limin made timely rotations, but the players were overly cautious. McGee missed two low-post attempts, and Williams committed a turnover. However, Zeng Fanbo knocked down a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 10-12. McGee’s lackadaisical attitude was evident—he offered little rim protection and forced shots on offense. At the end of the first quarter, Beijing trailed 15-21. In the second quarter, Chen Yingjun hit a three-pointer to regain his offensive rhythm, while Rakecevic scored twice over Zhou Qi in the paint. Guangdong executed more clearly, taking smarter shots.
Beijing struggled with every possession. Du Runwang nailed a transition three-pointer, forcing a Beijing timeout as the lead grew to double digits. Zhao Rui was injured when Hu Mingxuan inadvertently knocked his knee during a drive, leaving the game and further disrupting Beijing’s offense. But this became a turning point. Du Runwang was called for a flagrant foul, Zhou Qi missed free throws but grabbed the offensive rebound, leading to Jieman’s three-pointer. Consecutive threes from Lei Meng and Zeng Fanbo gave Beijing a 40-35 halftime lead.
In the second half, Beijing maintained their momentum. Zhai Xiaochuan and Jieman hit more threes. Xu Limin used McGee for three minutes to give Zhou Qi rest, a strategy that worked without squandering the lead. Quin completed an and-one, and Hu Mingxuan hit a fading three-pointer to stop Guangdong’s slide. After three quarters, Beijing led 61-53. Given the 10-minute quarters, Guangdong needed a spark to mount a comeback.
The key battle was in the paint. McGee’s poor performance forced Beijing to keep playing him, yet Zhou Qi expended massive energy, occasionally committing offensive fouls or fouling on defense, but Beijing managed to maintain the margin. Ultimately, Beijing won 88-73. McGee finished with 2 points and 5 rebounds, shooting 0-for-6, displaying a negative attitude. Zhao Rui contributed only 2 points before his injury. Zhou Qi dominated the paint with 18 points and 8 rebounds, playing a crucial role on both ends. Chen Yingjun shouldered the outside scoring load with 16 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Zeng Fanbo added 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.