DONGGUAN, China, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Yi Jianlian scored 29 points as Guangdong powered over Xinjiang 142-123 at home for a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven finals of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league here on Friday.
Guangdong, better on both ends, gave the visitors no chance throughout the game. Besides a shining Yi, Zhou Peng and Sonny Weems had 24 points apiece and Marshon Brooks added 18 points. Carnell Stokes scored a game-high 38 points for Xinjiang and Abudushalamu had 19 points.
Guangdong had a quick start as Yi scored nine points and Ren Junfei had 10 for a 42-33 lead in the first quarter.
After Stokes led a 10-2 run for Xinjiang to cut the deficit to one at the beginning of the second quarter, Brooks hit eight points in a row in Guangdong's 16-4 spurt to enter the second half at 75-61.
Guangdong continued to show their power in both offense and defense in the third quarter with a 14-2 spree led by Yi, who made two 3-pointers, for a 110-87 lead into the last quarter.
Game 2 will be played in Dongguan on Sunday.
