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Guangdong beat Xinjiang 116-112 in overtime for 3-0 lead

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-23 11:18

URUMCHI, West China - Guangdong Hongyuan eged off Xinjiang Guanghui 116-112 in overtime to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the finals of the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) on Thursday here.

Guangdong were one game away from their sixth title in seven seasons and the second three-beat championships during the span.

Smush Parker and David Harrison, the most reliable foreign players throughout the series, had 31 and 29 points respectively for Guangdong, while guard Wang Shipeng adding 21.

The visiting team lost the battle on the board, 36-38, for the first time in the three matches, and committed 29 turnovers, but hung on in the overtime when experiences and patience counted more.

Myron Allen, who had the game-high 38 points, made a pair of free-throws with 3.1 seconds to go to tie it on 104-104 in the regular time.

Guangdong did better jobs on the defensive end in the overtime to take a 114-109 lead before Allen buried three free-throws to close it on 114-112 with 2.0 seconds left.

Zhu Fangyu stepped onto the line on the following Guangdong's possession and calmly sealed the victory with two free-throws.

Guangdong built up a 37-24 lead in the first quarter and gave little ground away in the next two quarters as they led 78-69 to enter the fourth.

A nine-straight-point run of Xinjiang cut the lead to 89-84 and the home team carried it on to make it 91-88 midway in the final period.

After tying on 99-99, Guangdong scored the next four points before Xu Guochong, who had 13 points, made it one-point game again on 103-102 with a 3-pointer with 8.1 second left on the clock.

Charles Gaines, who avioded a suspension after a brawl with Guangdong's Du Feng in Game 2, scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Xinjiang.

Game 4 will start on Friday night at Urumchi.