Zhang Cairen (left) of Beijing Ducks runs with the ball during a match of the second round of the Chinese Basketball Association league in Beijing on Oct 24, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - Ty Leaf notched 31 points to help the Beijing Ducks rally past the Zhejiang Lions 113-106 at home, while the Guangdong Southern Tigers beat the Zhejiang Golden Bulls 106-96 in the second round of the Chinese Basketball Association league on Tuesday.

Everything went just toward the Lions until the visitors fell into the turnover problem. The Lions had a jaw-dropping 21 turnovers compared to the Ducks' 13.

The Lions' head coach Wang Bo pointed out the team's loose defense in the second quarter, which allowed Beijing to score 38 points, as another reason for their loss.

However, Lions' Hu Jinqiu once again proved his dominance in the paint, following his 31 points against the Fujian Sturgeons in the season opener. The 26-year-old produced another double-double of 32 points and 13 rebounds.

On the Beijing side, center Ty Leaf stepped out to score 31 points and grab 14 rebounds, including seven offensive ones. Veteran guard Fang Shuo nailed five 3-pointers to contribute 27 points and 10 assists, and Zhang Cairen added 14 points

Lions' star guard Sun Minghui, who missed the national team's FIBA World Cup and Asiad campaigns, showed his high-level competitiveness, collecting 19 points and eight assists tonight.

On the Beijing side, center Leaf stepped out to score 31 points and grab 14 rebounds, including seven offensive ones. Veteran guard Fang Shuo nailed five 3-pointers to contribute 27 points and 10 assists, and Zhang Cairen added 14 points.

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"Very hard game, but we are prepared for this game. We didn't play tough in the first quarter, but we stayed focused in the second, and everybody played excellently," Beijing head coach Ernest Raden commented afterward.

In another much-anticipated matchup, scoring machines Marshon Brooks and Tremont Waters combined for 42 points to lead Guangdong past the young Golden Bulls.

With the transfer of the core player Zhao Rui during the summer break, Guangdong's backcourt faces challenges. But tonight they proved that it shouldn't be a big concern.

Hu Mingxuan started the game to take eight points and grab five rebounds, while Xu Jie added 13 points. Waters' arrival boosted Guangdong's strength behind the arc as well as in the paint. The guard threw himself to the basket through a couple of attempts and earned nine free throws.

For the Golden Bulls, Reginald Perry scored a team-high 23 points and Wu Qian added 19. Cheng Shuaipeng had 11 points, five rebounds and seven assists, and Yu Jiahao added 12 points and nine rebounds.

READ MORE: CBA: Beijing, Zhejiang notch comeback victories

Also on Tuesday, the defending champion Liaoning Flying Leopards defeated the Sichuan Blue Whales 108-94. Liaoning's point guard Zhao Jiwei played only five minutes to score 10 points and sat out the rest of the game due to injury.