Zhejiang Lions' Xu Zhonghao (24) is blocked by Guangdong Southern Tigers' players during a CBA game, in Dongguan, Guangdong province, March 29, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

XI'AN - The Guangdong Southern Tigers beat the Zhejiang Lions 131-78 at home in the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) on Friday night, bagging its 10th consecutive victory in the ongoing regular season.

Facing Zhejiang without local stars Sun Minghui and Zhao Yanhao, Guangdong opened the game with a 14-4 run and enlarged its advantage to 26 by the end of the first quarter.

The Tianjin Pioneers lost to the Guangzhou Loong Lions 103-99 but kept its playoffs hope alive, as the Nanjing Monkey Kings edged the Shanxi Loongs 123-122

Clarence Weems and Zhou Qi combined for 10 points in the opening four minutes of the second quarter, helping the home team take a 73-35 runaway lead at the interval.

Although Guangdong only scored 28 points in the third, it was enough for the season title favorite to put the game beyond the Lions' reach.

Zhang Mingchi scored a game-high 24 points, and Hu Mingxuan had 21 points for Guangdong. Zhou finished a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The Tianjin Pioneers lost to the Guangzhou Loong Lions 103-99 but kept its playoffs hope alive, as the Nanjing Monkey Kings edged the Shanxi Loongs 123-122. In the CBA standings, 14th-placed Tianjin is now three wins behind 12th-placed Shanxi with three regular rounds remaining.

Also on Friday, the Beijing Ducks defeated the Jilin Northeast Tigers 113-104.