On the evening of April 10, the third round of the 2026 Hunan Provincial City Basketball League (Hunan BA) took place, with the Changsha team hosting the Shaoyang team at the Helong Gymnasium. Leveraging strong defense and quick counterattacks, the Changsha team secured a decisive 90-71 victory, marking their third consecutive win.
Prior to this match, the Changsha team had already achieved two straight victories, while the Shaoyang team was facing a two-game losing streak. Due to a double-game week schedule—with the fourth round set for Sunday following Friday’s third round—both teams made adjustments to their rosters. Half of the Changsha squad members were included in the lineup for the first time, among them the highly popular "Liuyang Basketball King" Xun Kuntao.
After the opening tip-off, both teams engaged in an aggressive offensive exchange, with the score seesawing back and forth. In the absence of Changsha’s top scorer Cao Wenfeng, captain Lu Jianing and Chang Haipeng stepped up, contributing 8 and 7 points respectively in the first quarter. The quarter ended with the teams tied at 22-22.
At the start of the second quarter, Changsha used their defensive efforts to spark fast breaks, going on a 6-0 run that forced Shaoyang to call a timeout. After the break, Shaoyang continued to struggle against Changsha’s defensive pressure, and the gap gradually widened to 12 points. Shaoyang called another quick timeout, but with little effect, as Changsha extended their lead further. By halftime, Changsha led 51-32, a 19-point advantage.
During the intermission, five players from the "Hunan Super League" Changsha team—Zhou Chenwei, Li Zhangyu, Tan Xiang, Huang Yi, and Deng Zihao—joined Hunan BA Changsha players Cao Wenfeng and Lu Xiling, along with fan representatives, for a free-throw interaction session. Li Zhangyu demonstrated solid basketball skills, sinking both of his free throws, while Huang Yi humorously kicked the ball in for one successful attempt. Tan Xiang attempted a header into the basket but missed. The playful efforts and crossover interaction between the football and basketball squads drew enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
After the break, Changsha maintained control of the game, at one point leading by as many as 25 points. However, Shaoyang refused to give up, hitting multiple three-pointers late in the third quarter to narrow the deficit to 14 points. Changsha responded with a scoring run to stabilize the game, ending the third quarter with a 69-51 lead, an 18-point margin.
In the final quarter, Shaoyang continued to push offensively, but Changsha managed the tempo effectively. The teams traded baskets, and the final margin remained at 19 points, with Changsha sealing a 90-71 win.
Following the match, Changsha head coach Li Bin commented that the team’s performance had its ups and downs. "In today’s game, we made bold rotations. The players were in decent form, but we also identified areas that need improvement. We will focus on strengthening these aspects to perform better in upcoming matches," he said.
After defeating Shaoyang for their third straight win, the Changsha team will travel promptly to Yongzhou to prepare for an away game against the Yongzhou team on Sunday evening. Regarding the challenge of playing two games in three days, Coach Li noted that all teams face similar conditions and must overcome difficulties together. "Our team is currently dealing with some injuries. Cao Wenfeng was hurt in the previous match against Yiyang, Chen Tiancan is unavailable due to school competition duties, and Xun Kuntao, who made his debut today, has been undergoing treatment for some time. We will certainly make necessary rotations, gradually build team chemistry, and adjust our competitive form," he explained.
Results from the third round of the Hunan BA are as follows: Hengyang 71-69 Zhangjiajie Zhuzhou 89-73 Xiangxi Chenzhou 77-64 Yongzhou Changsha 90-71 Shaoyang Loudi 71-61 Yiyang Changde 89-72 Huaihua Yueyang 60-63 Xiangtan
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