On March 7, in the 40th round of the 2023-2024 Chinese Men’s Professional Basketball League (CBA) regular season, the Zhejiang Guangsha team suffered a home defeat to Shanghai with a score of 99:102. This marked the first game of the third stage of the regular season for Guangsha, and despite their efforts, they were unable to secure a victory.
Sun Minghui, who returned from injury, put up an impressive performance for Guangsha, scoring a double-double with 29 points and 11 rebounds. The team’s new addition, Weatherspoon, also made a notable debut with 11 points and 3 rebounds. On the other side, Bledsoe led the Shanghai team with 24 points and 4 rebounds. In the last 10 games between the two teams, Guangsha held the advantage with 7 wins and 3 losses.
The Guangsha team had been struggling in the previous stage of the season, with four consecutive losses following Sun Minghui’s injury. In contrast, Shanghai had been on a winning streak, including a victory over the top-ranked Liaoning team. With the return of Sun Minghui and the addition of Weatherspoon, Guangsha was hoping to turn their fortunes around in the third stage.
Despite their efforts, the Shanghai team took control early in the game, building a lead that proved difficult for Guangsha to overcome. Weatherspoon made a significant contribution off the bench, but the Shanghai team’s strong offense and defense ultimately secured them the victory.
The loss was a disappointing start to the third stage of the season for Guangsha, but they will have the opportunity to bounce back in their upcoming games. With their key players back in action and a new addition in Weatherspoon, Guangsha will be looking to reclaim their winning form as they continue their journey in the CBA.