By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Guangdong Southern Tigers completed the sweep in the best-of-seven series versus the Xinjiang Flying Tigers with the 103-98 road victory on Friday. They were crowned CBA Champions for the ninth time, first time since 2013. Captain Zhou Peng captured his seventh title in the Chinese League, Su Wei his sixth and Yi Jianlian his fifth.
The Southern Tigers dominated the 2018-19 season finishing the regular season on top of the standings and the playoffs undefeated. They swept all three of their opponents in 2013 as well and exacted their revenge over the Flying Tigers after being on the wrong end of the sweep in the 2017 Finals.
Jianlian, 31, was the difference-maker throughout the season and notched a 37-point, 16-rebound double-double in Game 4. His MVP-caliber showings in the Finals resulted to 27.8 points and 14 boards per contest.
Former Anadolu Efes, Maccabi Tel Aviv, CSKA Moscow and Zalgiris Kaunas player, Sonny Weems, ended his 2018-19 CBA campaign with 17 points.
Another ex-EuroLeague player, MarShon Brooks, who played for Milan during the 2014-15 season, also scored 17 points in Game 4.