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(Sports Focus) Beijing sweeps Jilin to reach CBA semifinals

Xinhua, February 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

Defending champion Beijing beat Jilin 137-95 at home to win the best-of-five first round 3-0 and reached the semifinals at the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league playoffs here on Tuesday.

Jinlin's Zhang Biao opened with a field shot but Sun Yue answered with a three-pointer to put Beijing ahead for good.

Zhang Songtao scored eight points to lead Beijing's 8-2 run in the early minutes. Sun Yue and Zhu Yanxi combined for five three-pointers to help Beijing build a 13-point lead after the first quarter.

Randolph Morris' 11 points lit up Beijing's second period. With only had two points in the second half though, Morris finished with a double-double of 15 points and a match-high 14 rebounds.

Beijing outscored Jilin by 11 points in each of the first three quarters, heading into the final quarter with a 33-point lead. Head coach Min Lulei rested three of his five starters on the bench in the final quarter but Jilin failed to narrow the gap and lost by 42 points instead.

"It was a difficult match but we did well," said Min Lulei. "3-0 is what we expected. No matter whom we play against in the next round, it will be a tough series. But first of all, I will have a good sleep tonight."

Li Gen scored 17 points in the second half to make a game-high 23. Sun Yue, who was five-of-six in three-point shooting, helped with 22. Zhu Yanxi, who also nailed five three-pointers, finished with 19.

Seven Beijing players scored double-digits. Stephon Marbury had only four points, but dished out 10 assists.

Denzel Bowles and Dominique Jones scored 22 points apiece to lead Jilin. Jilin was outscored 19-4 in three-pointer shooting and out-rebounded 53-30.

Beijing became the first team to secure a berth in the semifinals and it is the defending champion's fourth straight semifinal. Beijing is likely to meet Guangdong in the next round, which leads 2-1 in the best-of-five series against Dongguan.

"We beat Guangdong in last season's semifinals and we are confident to repeat that," said Sun Yue. Endi