Ding scores 42 points as Shandong edge Shanxi in CBA opener

BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese rising star Ding Yanyuhang hit a game-high 42 points as Shandong overturned Shanxi 116-114 in the opening round of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league on Sunday.

Ding, who played for the Dallas Mavericks in this year's NBA Las Vegas Summer League, produced a dominant fourth-quarter performance. He scored 20 points in this quarter and made a critical block in the last second.

Shanxi built an 12-point lead midway through the final quarter before Ding hit 14 points in a row to help Shandong overtake the lead. Shanxi's Yan Pengfei made a layup to tie the score at 114, but Ding hit the go-ahead shot with 2.9 seconds left and then blocked Li Jingyu's 3-pointer to secure the victory.

Former Houston Rockets players Ty Lawson and Donatas Motiejunas combined for 43 points for Shandong. Shanxi's Brandon Jennings finished with 32 points whlie Luis Scola added 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Powered by Yi Jianlian's 31 points, Guangdong went past Shenzhen 114-96. Jared Sullinger, the former Boston Celtics player, scored a game-high 41 points and 11 rebound for Shenzhen.

Beijing, who dropped former NBA star Stephon Marbury this summer, lost to Jiangsu 87-93.

Elsewhere, Guangzhou overwhelmed Shanghai 118-102, Liaoning defeated Sichuan 107-96, Zhejiang beat Bayi 103-96, Guangsha tamed Fujian 105-99.