On the evening of October 22, the Jilin Jiutai Bank Northeast Tigers triumphed over the Shanxi Fenjiu with a score of 130-119 in the fifth round of the 2024-2025 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season, marking their third consecutive victory.
The Shanxi team quickly got into the groove of the game, taking an early 7-2 lead. However, Jilin’s Jiang Yuxing made a crucial cut to stabilize the home team’s morale. Jilin then fought back to tie the game, ending the first quarter with an 8-point advantage.
In the second quarter, Shanxi once again started strong with a 6-0 run, but Jilin’s Li An made two free throws, and their foreign player Jones executed a couple of impressive “and-one” plays. The two teams exchanged scoring runs, and Jilin wrapped up the first half with a narrow 63-61 lead.
As the second half began, Jilin struggled offensively, allowing Shanxi to take advantage and eventually overtake them in the third quarter. By the end of the period, Jilin was trailing Shanxi by 4 points. In the final quarter, Jilin intensified their three-point shooting, with Li An hitting a critical three-pointer and Jiang Weize converting three free throws. Despite Shanxi’s late-game surge, they couldn’t turn the tide.
Jones led the way for Jilin with an impressive 42 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Li An contributed 17 points and 8 rebounds. For Shanxi, Zhang Ning scored 31 points along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
After the game, Jilin’s head coach Zhong Cheng praised his players’ determination and passion for victory. He expressed how moved he was by their relentless effort on the court.
Prior to this match, the Jilin Jiutai Bank Northeast Tigers had won against the Fujian Jinjiang Culture and the Jiangsu Kentia, bringing their winning streak to three. They will face the Shandong Qingdao Guoxin Pharmaceutical team at home on October 24.
