Zuo Zhennian of Sichuan Blue Whale goes up for a basket during the first round match between Sichuan Blue Whale and Shenzhen Aviators at the 2020-2021 season of the Chinese Basketball Association league in Zhuji, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct 18, 2020. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

ZHUJI - The Shenzhen Aviators defeated the Sichuan Blue Whales 93-83 here on Sunday, winning the first regular season game of the 2020-21 Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA).

Local rising star Yang Linyi of Shenzhen pocketed 24 points, plus seven rebounds. Gu Quan contributed 19 points and two assists for the Aviators.

Local rising star Yang Linyi of Shenzhen pocketed 24 points, plus seven rebounds. Gu Quan contributed 19 points and two assists for the Aviators

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Shenzhen led 23-19 in the first quarter and built a two-digit advantage halfway through the second period. Although Sichuan had a 6-0 run before the half-time break, the 2015-16 CBA winners trailed 36-49 by the end of the the first half.

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Sichuan, who fielded a line-up comprising only Chinese players, found few ways of narrowing the gap in the second half. Shenzhen had a 20-point advantage midway through of the fourth quarter.

With 01:07 left on the clock, Yang took the game beyond Sichuan's reach with an easy lay-up.