Kyle Fogg (left) of Liaoning Flying Leopards defends Tian Yuheng of Guangzhou Loong Lions during the 41st round match at the 2022-2023 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province, April 3, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - The Beijing Ducks bagged a narrow win over the Shanxi Loongs, 105-103, via a buzzer-beater three-pointer, while the Guangzhou Loong Lions smashed the Liaoning Flying Leopards 87-69 in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on Monday.

Beijing rode on a 16-2 scoring dash and led by up to 17 points midway through the first quarter. However, Zhang Ning stood out and inspired a fightback for Shanxi, who cut down the gap to seven points to end the first quarter.

Zhang continued his hot hand in the second period as Shanxi overtook the lead and built a 19-point advantage.

The Guangzhou Loong Lions and the Liaoning Flying Leopards played out a seesaw first quarter, while the second quarter saw Liaoning suffer poor shooting, scoring merely six points

But Shanxi struggled in offense in the third quarter, while Beijing's duo of Fang Shuo and Fan Ziming attacked fiercely in the paint to help the home team claw back.

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In the last moment, Kay Felder made a crucial turnover, only for Lei Meng to hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer and nail down the victory for Beijing.

Zhang Ning posted a game-high 31 points, Fan Ziming had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Fangshuo contributed 22 points and 11 assists for Beijing. 

Guangzhou and Liaoning played out a seesaw first quarter, while the second quarter saw Liaoning suffer poor shooting, scoring merely six points.

The deficit was widened to 26 points in the second half as Cui Yongxi from Guangzhou found rhythm beyond the arc, but Zhang Zhenlin and Kyle Fogg gifted Liaoning a 16-2 run to narrow the gap.

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As Liaoning players were still frozen in outside shootings in the last quarter, Guangzhou soon put the game out of sight.

Elsewhere, the Shenzhen Aviators edged the Nanjing Monkey Kings 103-102, and the Xinjiang Flying Tigers defeated the Tianjin Pioneers 98-91.