The Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) announced Friday the playoff matchups for the 2007-08season after it stripped second-placed Xinjiang Guanghui of the right in the playoffs one day earlier.

Xinjiang was deducted 18 points for using Song Cun-Sou, a third foreign players, during the regular season and fell to the 11th placing with 38 points.

Song was found using two American passports during the regular season and his Chinese identities were verified as faked.

The 9th-placed Zhejiang Guangsha took the place into the playoffs and the other six teams behind Xinjiang were promoted one place up each.

The league was supposed to announce the playoff matchups on Monday as top four teams have rights to select their first-round opponents from the 5-8 placings in order.

The playoff matchups are as following:

Guangdong Hongyuan (1) vs. Zhejiang Guangsha (8)

Jiangsu Dragons (2) vs. Fujian SBS (7)

Shandong Flaming Bulls (3) vs. Dongguan Marco Polo (5)

Liaoning Hunters (4) vs. Bayi Fubang (6)

The playoffs will start on Jan. 16 on a base of best-of-five schedule, while the Finals will be played on best-of-seven.
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(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2008)