The Qingdao Eagles secured a hard-fought 101-97 victory over the Shanghai Sharks in the second round of the 2024-25 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season on Wednesday night.

Shanghai matched Qingdao's pace in the first quarter, but struggled to keep up afterward. It wasn't until the fourth quarter that star center Wang Zhelin sparked Shanghai's comeback attempt. Liu Zheng hit a crucial three-pointer in the closing moments, but his teammate Tremont Waters missed a game-tying shot from beyond the arc, leaving the Sharks to ultimately fall short.

Han Dejun (C) of Liaoning Flying Leopards looks to shoot during a match between Liaoning Flying Leopards and Fujian Sturgeons at the 2024-2025 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Beijing, China, Oct.16, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

Qingdao's offense showed excellent balance, with six players scoring in double figures. Promising center Yang Hansen contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds, playing a key role in the Eagles' victory.

On Tuesday, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers cruised to a commanding 130-117 win over the Shenzhen Leopards.

Dedric Lawson, who had struggled in both the preseason and season opener, exploded with 18 points in the first quarter, shooting an impressive 7 of 8 from the field to give Xinjiang an early 23-point lead. His teammate Quentin Peterson was just as dominant off the bench, delivering an emphatic dunk that fired up the home crowd as Xinjiang racked up 81 points in the first half.

Although Shenzhen mounted a second-half rally, the early deficit proved too much to overcome, resulting in their second consecutive loss.

Five Xinjiang players scored in double digits, with Lawson finishing the game with 31 points and 10 rebounds, while Peterson added 32 points and eight assists.

In other second-round games, the Liaoning Flying Leopards swept past the Fujian Sturgeons 116-76, the Zhejiang Golden Bulls beat the Jilin Northeast Tigers 121-113, the Shanxi Loongs won over the Sichuan Blue Whales 108-91, the Beijing Royal Fighters cruised past the Jiangsu Dragons 109-84, the Beijing Ducks triumphed over the Ningbo Rockets 96-75, the Zhejiang Lions overcame the Nanjing Monkey Kings 115-112, and the Shandong Heroes got past the Guangdong Southern Tigers 115-105.