CBA Four-Time Champions Shocked Again! Shenzhen Emerges as Dark Horse, He Xining Stars with 29+6+6

On the evening of December 29, in the 8th round of the CBA regular season, four-time champion Liaoning lost 90-93 to Shenzhen, suffering a third consecutive defeat and dropping to 8th in the standings, dimming their championship hopes.

Liaoning struggled earlier in the season, losing heavily to Guangsha and narrowly to Beijing. In this game, Liaoning led 31-27 after the first quarter but fell behind after a 22-11 run by Shenzhen in the second. He Xining excelled with 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in the first half, supported by Johnson, Kaba, and Wang Haoran.

By the end of the third quarter, Liaoning trailed by 3 points. In the fourth, He Xining scored 7 consecutive points, leading Shenzhen to a critical 7-0 run and stretching the lead to 88-79. Liaoning fought back, narrowing the gap to 90-91 with 44 seconds left, but Zhou Peng’s clutch basket sealed the 93-90 victory for Shenzhen.

For Liaoning, Yan Shouqi scored 15 points with 2 assists and 1 steal, while Fu Hao contributed 20 points and 5 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. Shenzhen’s He Xining starred with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block; Johnson added 17 points and 6 assists, Wang Haoran 14 points and 7 rebounds.

Shenzhen overtakes Liaoning to climb to 6th in the standings, establishing themselves as the new dark horse of the season.