BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Guangdong Southern Tigers took down the league-leading Zhejiang Lions 84-74, while the reigning champion Liaoning Flying Leopards edged the Shanghai Sharks 111-110 in the 44th round of the 2024-25 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season.

Guangdong started the first quarter 32-17, and Zhejiang managed to cut the gap to five points by the half-time whistle. Zhejiang shooter Zhu Junlong hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc to tie the score in the second half, only to see Guangdong move ahead again after baskets from Xu Jie and Zhang Haojia.

Both sides focused on defense in the final period while Guangdong turned out to be the tougher team and took the victory with a ten-point advantage.

Guangdong forward Eric Moreland bagged 18 points and 10 rebounds. Darius Bazley added 14.

Guangdong stayed on the sixth place in the standings and still has a chance to move into top four with two rounds left.

The title defender Liaoning needed a tough battle to beat Shanghai. Kenneth Lofton took as much as 41 points, but still unable to bring his team a victory.

Five Liaoning players scored double digits. Star forward Zhang Zhenlin made 28. Zhao Jiwei added 10 points and 11 assists. Zhao's total assists reached 2,647 in his 476th CBA game of his career. As a result, his total assists rose to the second place in the history of the CBA League.

Elsewhere, the Fujian Sturgeons overwhelmed the Shenzhen Leopards 131-105, the Beijing Royal Fighters defeated the Shanxi Loongs 116-107, the Shandong Heroes breezed past the Sichuan Blue Whales 105-80, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls moved past the Jiangsu Dragons 95-85, the Qingdao Eagles crushed the Xinjiang Flying Tigers 106-82, the Guangzhou Loong Lions knocked down the Jilin Northeast Tigers 104-90, the Beijing Ducks edged the Nanjing Monkey Kings 101-98, the Tianjin Pioneers beat the Ningbo Rockets 111-104. Enditem