Defending China Basketball Association league champions Guangdong maintained their lead after the first stage of competition.

In a CBA 11th round match on Tuesday night, Du Feng and Zhu Fangyu, both national team members, each scored 22 points to help Guangdong defeat hosts Beijing 110-81.

Star player Yi Jianlian contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds, but he left the court in the latter half of the third quarter due to injury.

The match attracted a large number of spectators. The ticket outlet at the Beijing Shougang Gymnasium closed three hours prior to the match.

In another match on Tuesday night, Guangsha beat Liaoning 95-85. Other matches in the 11th round will be played on Wednesday night.

The domestic league will adjourn for nearly two months to give the national team time to prepare for the Doha Asian Games in December.

The 12th round of competition will begin on December 22.

(CRI November 1, 2006)