BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Quentin Peterson scored a game-high 30 points to lead the Xinjiang Flying Tigers to a 108-97 victory over the Beijing Ducks in the 24th round of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) on Monday night.
Bouncing back from a 26-point road loss to the Liaoning Flying Leopards on Saturday, Xinjiang returned home determined to make a statement against Beijing. Peterson, who had been struggling in recent outings, found his rhythm in the third quarter, nailing consecutive tough three-pointers during a pivotal 20-0 run that sealed the game for Xinjiang.
Despite Beijing's efforts to rally in the fourth quarter, young guard Elfrat Muhtar sank a clutch three-pointer to secure the win for the home side.
In another eye-catching matchup, Liaoning edged the Guangdong Southern Tigers 95-89 at home. Liaoning relied on critical late-game contributions from guard Wang Lanqin and power forward Fu Hao to overcome their long-standing rivals.
The Shanghai Sharks continued their remarkable turnaround in the second stage of the season, extending their winning streak to 11 games with a 133-131 overtime win against the Nanjing Monkey Kings. Kenneth Lofton proved to be Shanghai's hero, delivering a decisive layup in the final moments of overtime.
The 22-year-old American finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists. His teammate Eric Bledsoe recorded 34 points and 11 assists.
In other games, the Shandong Heroes smashed the Sichuan Blue Whales 111-80, the Shanxi Loongs dominated the Jilin Northeast Tigers 116-83, the Zhejiang Lions won over the Qingdao Eagles 103-89, and the Ningbo Rockets overcame the Guangzhou Loong Lions 92-85.
In three earlier games of this round on Sunday, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls swept the Fujian Sturgeons 126-103, the Beijing Royal Fighters beat the Jiangsu Dragons 112-94, while the Shenzhen Leopards won over the Tianjin Pioneers 110-107. ■
