Zhou Qi (right) of Xinjiang Flying Tigers breaks through during the 37th round match between Xinjiang Flying Tigers and Shanxi Loongs at the 2020-2021 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Zhuji, east China's Zhejiang province, Feb 1, 2021. (PAN YULONG / XINHUA)

ZHUJI, China - Star center Zhou Qi's comeback helped the Xinjiang Flying Tigers smashed the Shanxi Loongs 112-101, while the Zhejiang Lions claimed a victory over Shandong Heroes 125-121 in the CBA on Monday.

In Monday's two other games, the Qingdao Eagles edged the Fujian Sturgeons 111-106, while the Sichuan Whales beat the Guangzhou Long Lions 104-91

After two weeks of injury layoffs, Zhou came back in the Shanxi game and had 29 points and 13 rebounds. Donatas Motiejunas, another key player for Xinjiang, snatched 25 points and 14 rebounds.

The duo combined to help Xinjiang take the advantage in the low post, though Shanxi's leading scorer Ricardo Ledo pocketed 24 points and Yan Pengfei added 18 points.

In the beginning of the game, Shanxi scored from the three-point line, but Xinjiang found huge advantages near the basket and hit an 11-0 run to lead the game 22-15 by the end of the first quarter.

Ren Junwei and Ledo stood out for Shanxi in the next period, cutting the margin to 1 point at 50-51 ending the first half.

Motiejunas nailed a hook shot and Zhou knocked down 2 shots outside the arc in the second half, helping their team keep the 10-point lead which Shanxi could not narrow in the remaining time.

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Meanwhile, the game between Zhejiang and Shandong was a hard-fought one.

After a bad start, Zhejiang's Zhao Yanhao continuously scored in and out to hit a 7-0 run to lead his team 30-28 by the end of the first quarter.

Shandong's Tao Hanlin came off the bench in the second quarter, helping his team tie the game in both defense and offense. But Zhao continued his excellent performance as he helped Zhejiang secure a 65-62 lead before the break.

In the second half, the foreign players of the two teams kept the game in suspense. Lester Hudson helped Shandong lead once, but Miroslav Radulica from Serbia scored inside and ensured Zhejiang lead by six points going into the last quarter.

With just 30 seconds left to go, Shandong lost two defensive rebounds in a row, and Zhao Yanhao made two free throws to help Zhejiang claim the victory.

In Monday's two other games, the Qingdao Eagles edged the Fujian Sturgeons 111-106, while the Sichuan Whales beat the Guangzhou Long Lions 104-91.