China

Guangdong clinches four CBA titles in a row

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-28 10:41

Wang Shipeng of Guangdong lifts the trophy after the team defeating Xinjiang to win its fourth Chinese Basketball Association title in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, April 27, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]

URUMQI - The "Guangdong Hongyuan era" has not been ended. With a 4-2 aggregate win over Xinjiang Guanghui in the best-of seven series of CBA finals, Guangdong refused the inbreak of emerging force, lifting its CBA trophy for the fourth consecutive year.

Making seven three-pointers in eight attempts, Haislip stunned the home team with a game-high 35, helping the road team to a 103-93 victory over Xinjiang on Wednesday.

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A tough hand-to-hand fight started from the very beginning and the lead was exchanged for several times. Xinjiang's top scorer Quincy Douby, who was not in good form, grabbed 9 points. The other foreign big James Singleton asserted his power inside the paint with a team-high 14 points, supporting Xinjiang 52-51 over the rival in first half.

The second half especially the fourth quarter came to the show time of Guangdong's forward Haislip, who got hot-handed by chopping down seven-out-of-eight three pointers. The three-point storm led by Hailip and another super shooter Wang Shipeng, who also added a pair of three, became the nightmare of Xinjiang, which totally collapsed under the attacking surges.

"It's the hardest season for us, in which we ran up against all kinds of troubles," Guangdong head coach Li Chunjiang said after match emotionally, "Thanks all the people who support us, especially those dear fans. Finally, we made it through."

Enjoying an overwhelming 31-1 in regular season, Xinjiang was regarded as the most potent title hunter this year. Xinjiang bore two consecutive years CBA runner-ups, the titles belonged to Guangdong, introduced Dubby, dubbed as the most expensive and valued player from NBA.

With another under-rim power Bateer, former NBA center, Xinjiang completed the double over Guangdong in regular.

As Li said, compared with such a powerful comfortable bellwether, the injury-depleted Guangdong was also stuck into the foreign player-replacing troubles in midseason and once overlooked as champion contender this year.

But as a six-time champions in seven years, Guangdong presented its deposit in finals with more rich experiences and bench depth. Wang Shipeng, snatched 15.98 per game, stood out in the finals. Other promising youngsters such as Su Wei, Dong Hanlin and Zhou Peng also gave a big hand to Guangdong.