Zhao Jiwei was absent, Zhang Chen Zhifeng scored 11 points and 9 rebounds, Lin Tingqian contributed 24 points and 7 assists, as Liaoning basketball team won their first away game of the season against Tianjin.

On December 13th, in the first round of the CBA regular season, Liaoning men's basketball team played against Tianjin on their home court. After four quarters, Liaoning secured an 80-68 victory over Tianjin. Fu Hao from Liaoning scored 12 points and 3 rebounds, Wells added 12 points and 6 boards, Wang Lanqin contributed 11 points, Brown put up 16 points, and Zhang Chen Zhifeng had 11 points and 9 rebounds; Tianjin’s Lin Tingqian scored 24 points and provided 7 assists, James posted 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Zheng Haoran scored 10 points.

In the first quarter, Morland and Wells combined to launch an 8-0 run. James broke Tianjin’s scoring drought with a three-point play. Although both teams have undergone significant roster changes this season, Liaoning’s tactical skills and team chemistry were far superior to Tianjin’s, allowing them to maintain a steady lead. Tianjin had multiple open looks from both corners but only converted once. At the end of the first quarter, Liaoning led Tianjin 22-11. In the second quarter, Liaoning went on another 6-0 run forcing a timeout from Tianjin. After the timeout, Tianjin increased their penetration, creating several corner three-point opportunities to narrow the gap to around 10 points. With two minutes left in the first half, Wang Lanqin sparked a small scoring run with drives and shots, pushing Liaoning’s lead to 50-32 over Tianjin.

In the second half, James regained his shooting touch, scoring both from the field and the free-throw line to steadily reduce the deficit for Tianjin. Liaoning’s shooting percentage dropped this quarter, prompting Yang Ming to make continuous lineup adjustments. After James completed a coast-to-coast layup, the gap shrank to single digits. Near the end of the quarter, Zhang Chen Zhifeng scored a powerful and-one under the basket, extending Liaoning’s lead to 63-51. In the final quarter, Zheng Haoran hit consecutive corner three-pointers, bringing the difference back to single digits. Brown responded with a three-pointer from outside, while James answered with two points inside. Jiang Yuxing calmly sank a corner three, restoring Liaoning’s lead to double digits. With Zhang Chen Zhifeng adding two more points inside, the game’s outcome was mostly decided. Ultimately, Liaoning cruised to an 80-68 victory over Tianjin.

Starting lineups for both teams:

Liaoning: Wang Lanqin, Morland, Jiang Yuxing, Fu Hao, Wells

Tianjin: James, Shi Deshuai, Hamlet, Lin Tingqian, Zheng Haoran