Bayi takes 1-0 lead over Guangdong in CBA finals

Wang Zhizhi scored 22 points Sunday to lead Bayi Fubang to a 94-89 win over Guangdong Hongyuan in the Game 1 of the finals of the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) here.

The former Miami Heat center grabbed eight rebounds and blocked four times in over 26 minutes to take the advantage of the best-of-seven series, the first time the CBA introducing seven-game series in the playoffs.

Game 1 and 2 are played in Dongguan, home of Guangdong who has a 26-4 record in the regular season, and Game 3 and 4 will be played in Ningbo, home of Bayi (25-5), and last three matches, if possible, will played on a 1-1-1 format.

Sunday's defeat was the first finals opener loss to Guangdong since it won the last three CBA finals for a three-time championships.

Yi Jianlian led five Guangdong players in double-digit numbers with 21 points and eight rebounds while Dixon Jason had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Bayi started without Wang until the final two minutes of the first quarter when the home team took a 27-17 lead.

Trailing 46-39 after the break, the military team came back for a 68-66 lead to end the third quarter for the first lead of the game.

Bayi extended the lead to 75-67 on the decisive fourth quarter before it held on for the opening victory.

2007-03-19