BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Barry Brown grabbed 41 points to help the Zhejiang Lions defeat the Shanghai Sharks 97-90 in the Chinese Basketball Association league on Sunday.

Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter, with the Shanghai Sharks scoring only 12 points in the period, while defending champion Zhejiang established a six-point lead at halftime.

Zhejiang took control with a 16-2 run midway through the third quarter, with Brown accounting for 13 points, as the Lions led 79-63 heading into the last quarter. Shanghai refused to give up and cut the deficit to nine points, but Zhejiang maintained its momentum in the final minutes to secure victory.

Hu Jinqiu, the 2024-2025 CBA regular-season MVP, contributed 18 points for Zhejiang.

Five Shanghai players scored in double digits as Brandon Goodwin had a team-high 28 points. Zhang Zhenlin finished with 11 points and six assists.

Elsewhere, the Guangdong Southern Tigers saw off the Qingdao Eagles 89-80 for their fourth straight win as Trevelin Queen bagged 22 points, nine assists, six steals and six rebounds.

In other action, the Shanxi Loongs edged the Tianjin Pioneers 99-92, while the Guangzhou Loong Lions beat the Jiangsu Dragons 93-86. Enditem