Guangdong, Xinjiang, Guangsha into CBA playoffs

BEIJING - Guangdong Hongyuan, Xinjiang Guanghui and Zhejiang Guangsha defeated their first opponents of the playoffs Sunday to enter the semifinals of the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA).

Guangdong won the third consecutive game against Bayi Fubang by 103-83, Xinjiang beat Fujian SBS 110-78 while Guangsha ousted Jiangsu Dragons 104-100 to conclude the series by 3-0.

The only left series was between Shanghai Sharks and Liaoning Panpan with the Sharks leading the best-of-five series by 2-1 after an 89-73 victory on the road.

Guangdong will take on Xinjiang in the semifinals on April 4 and Guangsha need to wait for the winners of the next two possible matches at Shanghai.

Jiangsu failed to score in the dying minutes to complete the season without a semifinal berth for the first time in five years.

After Peter Lamos put the visitors ahead 101-100, the home team wasted two possessions in the final minute before Guangsha made three free-throws to seal the victory.

Lamos had 33 points and 21 rebounds to establish Guangsha's domination under the basket, as his defender Tang Zhendong had 21 points and five rebounds for Jiangsu.

Liaoning did not make the back-to-back home victories when Shanghai took an unsinkable 71-47 after three quarters.

They were held to only 23 points in the first half, 10 and 13 in the respective quarter, as they shot just 37.0 percent in the field and 12.5 percent on three-pointers.

John Lucas III led the Sharks by 30 points and seven rebounds.

Defending champions Guangdong gave little chance to the military team as they built up a 20-plus lead in the third quarter.

Bayi had nothing to answer the aggressive inside players of Guangdong as they were beaten up again on the board, 50-31.

Charles Gaines had another dominating game, scoring 36 points and grabbing 13 rebounds to lead Xinjiang to an easy road win for advancing.