Wang Ruize (center) of the Qingdao Eagles runs with the ball during a 2023-24 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league match against the Nanjing Monkey Kings in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Oct 26, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

WUHAN - The Qingdao Eagles scraped a 94-93 victory against the Nanjing Monkey Kings, while the Shenzhen Aviators defeated the Beijing Royal Fighters 115-104 in the 2023-24 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on Thursday.

Qingdao took an early but narrow lead to end the first quarter with a two-point advantage, and widened the gap to three points at halftime.

In a see-saw third quarter, Wang Ruize contributed 12 points for Qingdao and Antonio Blakeney had 11 points for Nanjing.

ALSO READ: CBA: Cui helps Guangzhou beat Xinjiang for 2nd straight win

Although Nanjing leveled the score three times and once surpassed the hosts in the last quarter, Qingdao ultimately prevailed.

"We anticipated that this would be a hard match, as Blakeney is a very strong player, who scored a game-high 33 points today," said Qingdao coach Liu Weiwei.

"Although there was a lack of defence against Blakeney, I think our players worked very hard, especially Yang Jinmeng, who intercepted the ball in the last moment," Liu added.

READ MORE: Zhejiang's teams suffer defeats in 2nd round of CBA

Elsewhere, although the Royal Fighters came from behind to tie the match 78-78 in the third quarter, Daryl Macon took 12 points in the last quarter to secure victory for Shenzhen.