With Liaoning narrowly defeating Xinjiang, Tongxi crushing Shenzhen, and Beijing losing to Shanxi, the latest CBA standings have been released.

On January 17th Beijing time, the 16th round of the CBA regular season began. Three games wrapped up last night: a strong contest where Liaoning powered through late to narrowly beat Xinjiang 82-75; Tongxi erupted offensively to thrash Shenzhen 115-86; and Beijing lost a close one to Shanxi 84-90. Consequently, the newest rankings place Beijing fifth, Liaoning ninth, Shanxi tenth, Shenzhen eleventh, and Xinjiang at fifteenth following back-to-back defeats!

Liaoning faced Xinjiang. Both teams are traditional CBA powerhouses, but their strength has declined rapidly this season. Liaoning is somewhat better, still holding playoff potential, while Xinjiang struggles to break into the postseason. Zhao Jiwei returned for this game in excellent form, orchestrating the offense and leading Liaoning to consistently suppress Xinjiang. He also helped his team withstand Xinjiang’s late rally, securing an eighth win for Liaoning without too much trouble!

Tongxi played against Shenzhen. Shenzhen has become a giant killer this season, recently stunning Beijing and Shanghai with fearless performances against strong teams. Facing the weaker Tongxi this round, Shenzhen was expected to claim a third straight win but surprisingly collapsed. Tongxi’s offense exploded, knocking down 21 three-pointers and steadily overwhelming Shenzhen, expanding the margin significantly. Tongxi ultimately crushed Shenzhen. In this match, Tongxi’s foreign player Hanz was outstanding, controlling the offense with threes and assists, finishing with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 12 assists. On the other hand, although Shenzhen is known for beating top teams, they seem unpredictable when facing weaker opponents!

Beijing went up against Shanxi. Both were semifinalists last season. Beijing has been losing frequently lately, causing their ranking to fall, while Shanxi has also struggled, failing to enter the playoff zone. The game saw dramatic swings like a roller coaster. Beijing started strong with high offensive efficiency, outscoring Shanxi 26-17 in the first quarter to take a 9-point lead. Shanxi then erupted offensively in the second quarter, combining inside and outside plays to outscore Beijing 25-14 and take a 2-point lead. In the second half, Beijing fought back strongly, with Jerman dominating a quarter, leading a balanced attack that scored 28-19, regaining control. However, Beijing’s offense faltered in the fourth quarter, and a coaching substitution mistake allowed Shanxi to launch a major comeback, outscoring Beijing 29-16, ultimately seizing the opportunity to overturn the game and defeat Beijing!

Written by / Sports Novel