Regular-season MVP Zhu Fangyu had another dominating game as he scored 31 points to lead Guangdong Hongyuan to a 90-81 victory over Liaoning Hunters for the title of the 2007-08 season Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) on Friday.
The guard shot 10-out-of-13 in the field and grabbed five rebounds for Guangdong's fourth trophy in five seasons at home.
Zhu Fangyu of Guangdong Hongyuan holds up the trophy after the fifth match of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) finals against Liaoning Panpan in Dongguan, a city of south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 22, 2008. Guangdong Hongyuan beat Liaoning Panpan with 90-81 in the fifth match on Friday and won the champion.
Jason Dixon Lamar had 18 points and 11 rebounds while Liu Xiaoyu adding 10 points and seven assists for the home team.
Guangdong, which lost to Bayi Rockets 4-1 at home last season, beat the finals newbie Liaoning 4-1 this time.
Point guard Yang Ming had his best game in the series with 21 points for the Hunters, which saw off defending champion Bayi in the first round.
Olumide Oyedeji contributed 15 points and 15 rebounds while Li Xiaoxu chipping in 15 points for Liaoning.
Zhu Fangyu of Guangdong Hongyuan holds up the trophy after the fifth match of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) finals against Liaoning Panpan in Dongguan, a city of south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 22, 2008.
Guangdong started the game 12-0 and never let its opponent usurp the lead throughout the game.
The home team led as many as 19 points on 39-20 in the second quarter before the Hunters closed it on 43-38 seconds to the break.
Beating again Liaoning on the board and field-goal per cent, Guangdong fought back the surge-up of Liaoning in the fourth quarter on 80-73 when Lamar and Zhu leading a 7-2 run for the final victory.
(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2008)