CBA Finals: champions Guangdong Southern Tigers draw first blood against Liaoning Flying Leopards
“We need to learn from them, and personally I have been trying to learn from coach Du,” Yang said.
Liaoning player Zhao Jiwei said it is not over.
“It was an intensive match but this is not the end. The games to come will be tougher so we need to keep it going.”
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The champions, who had a league best 46-6 record and topped the regular season standings, established a dominant 12-point lead by half-time, thanks to outscoring the Flying Leopards 24-13 in the second quarter.
Liaoning came back strong in the third, with 26 points to Guangdong’s 19 but it was not enough.
Guo Ailun top-scored for the visitors, all of his 20 points coming in the second half. Kyle Fogg scored 18 points and CBA Rookie of the Season Zhang Zhenlin added 17.
Guangdong’s Sonny Weems – last season’s Finals MVP – top-scored with 22 points. He was supported by teammates Zhou Peng (18) and Zhao Rui (12).
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The Southern Tigers won their 10th CBA crown last season, beating the Flying Leopards in two games.
Game two of this season’s best-of-three finals is on Thursday.
Guangdong’s star player Yi Jianlian, who was injured in last season’s finals and sat out this season, returned to training before game one but was not listed on the roster.
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