Zhang Yunsong scored 18 out of 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead Beijing Ducks to a 102-93 victory over Shandong Gold here Wednesday in a 11th-round of the Chinese Basketball Association league match.
The point guard buried his third 3-pointer of the last period to give the home team a 94-85 lead with 1:42 minutes to go.
Mack Tuck, who had the game-high 36 points and nine rebounds, made a 3-pointer to cut it to 94-90 with one minute left, but a following unsportsmanship foul gifted two free-throws and a throw-in to Beijing for the win.
Neither side had the better of the match until the last several minutes when Zhang led a 12-4 run with eight points down the stretch.
Dantae Jones had 29 points and 22 rebounds for Beijing while teammate Chen Lei adding 22 points.
"It's a victory of fighting spirit. We wanted the game more than anyone, and we did it," Chen Lei said.
"I hope tonight's match will be a turning point of the season. My players showed their confidence and dedication in this win. This is a game I've been waiting for throughout the season," Beijing's coach Min Lulei said.
This is the fourth win for Beijing, which are suffering one of their worst open of a season.
Lauderdale Priest almost nail down his second triple-double of the season, having 22 points, 23 rebounds and nine blocks for Shandong.
Shandong (5-6) started the game with a 25-19 lead in the first quarter, but let Beijing close it up and usurp the lead on 48-45 before the break.
"We didn't expect a tough game as this. We made several mistakes towards the end of the game," Shandong's coach Gong Xiaobin said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2008)
