JINAN, China, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Zhejiang Lions secured the last spot in the semifinals of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) playoffs by defeating the Qingdao Eagles 101-96 on Wednesday.
The Lions, the regular season leaders, tied the series 2-2 after their last game in Qingdao, bringing the decisive matchup back to their home court. They focused on their defense and led 53-48 at halftime.
In the final quarter, Qingdao narrowed the gap to 88-92, but Barry Brown Jr. hit a crucial 3-pointer for Zhejiang to seal the victory. Qingdao's failed attempts at 3-pointers in the closing moments dashed their hopes of achieving the CBA's first black eight miracle.
"We rebuilt our confidence since we notched the difficult victory in the last game. Back to the home court, we were determined to become the final four," Zhejiang's head coach Wang Bo said after the game.
Six Lions players scored in double digits, led by Hu Jinqiu's 19 points. Sun Minghui added 16 points and 10 assists. For Qingdao, Quinndary Weatherspoon posted 24 points, four rebounds, and eight assists, while promising center Yang Hansen concluded his season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Enditem
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