CBA Finals: Goodwin’s Buzzer-Beater Puts Shanghai Up 2-0 Over Guangsha
The Shanghai Sharks have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the CBA Finals after import guard Goodwin hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to seal a 91-88 victory over the defending champion Guangsha Lions on May 28 at Shanghai Stadium. The dramatic win puts Shanghai on the verge of ending a 24-year championship drought dating back to the Yao Ming era.
A Game for the Ages
Game 2 was a tightly contested battle from start to finish. Shanghai opened with an 11-0 run in the first quarter, but Guangsha fought back relentlessly. The Lions’ guard Brown delivered a historic performance, scoring 50 points — only the second 50-point game in CBA Finals history and the highest ever by a Guangsha player in the Finals, according to Xinhua News. Brown’s explosion surpassed the previous Guangsha Finals record held by Fordson.
With the score tied at 88-88 in the final seconds, Goodwin received the ball and calmly sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer to win the game. He finished with 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists — a stat line that underscored his dual role as scorer and playmaker. Li Hongquan added 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Zhang Zhenlin contributed 12 points and 3 assists for Shanghai. For Guangsha, Hu Jinqiu posted 20 points and 8 rebounds in a losing effort, also surpassing Wang Zhizhi on the CBA all-time scoring list during the game.
CCTV Sports described the sequence as a “steal and three-point game-winner” by Goodwin, highlighting the defensive play that set up the dramatic finish. The broadcast noted that Goodwin had been instrumental throughout, contributing on both ends of the floor when it mattered most.
Coaches React
Guangsha head coach Wang Bo remained measured in defeat. “The team was not affected by the previous loss; overall competitive state and fighting spirit were present,” Wang said, as reported by Xinhua. “This game ultimately lost narrowly to the opponent’s game-winner, but overall there weren’t major issues. Going forward we will focus on refining game details and optimizing based on shortcomings.”
Shanghai head coach Lu Wei praised his team’s resilience. “These two Finals games have brought out our team cohesion,” Lu said. “We will continue this spirit and keep fighting against the opponent.”
Series Context and Historical Stakes
Shanghai won Game 1 on May 26 by a score of 101-90, also at home. The Sharks are seeking their second CBA championship in franchise history — the first since Yao Ming led the team to the title in 2002, a 24-year wait. This Finals appearance itself marks a remarkable revival for a franchise that has spent nearly a quarter-century in the shadow of its Yao Ming-era glory.
Guangsha, the defending champions who won their first CBA title in 2025, now face a historically difficult path: no team in CBA history has ever come back from a 0-2 deficit to win the Finals. The Lions will need to make significant defensive adjustments to contain Goodwin while also finding more balanced scoring beyond Brown and Hu Jinqiu.
Goodwin has been the driving force throughout the series, scoring 34 points in Game 1 before his heroics in Game 2. Brown’s 50-point outing for Guangsha, while historic, was not enough to even the series — a testament to Shanghai’s depth and defensive resilience under pressure.
What’s Next
The series now shifts to Hangzhou for Games 3 and 4 at Guangsha’s home court. Game 3 is scheduled for May 31, followed by Game 4 on June 2. Guangsha will need to defend home court to keep their championship hopes alive.
National Diving Championships: Day 6 Results
Meanwhile, at the 2026 National Diving Championships in Guangzhou, Shandong and Hunan teams each claimed a gold medal on the sixth day of competition. As reported by China News Service, the men’s 1m springboard final saw Tai Xiaohu (Shandong Zhouke) take gold with 440.75 points, followed by Liu Hao (Shaanxi) with silver and Hu Yukang (Guangdong Haiyin) with bronze.
In the women’s individual all-around final, Qu Zhixin (Hunan Liangang) won gold with 667.15 points. Liu Xingyu (Anhui Haosha) took silver, and Wu Xihan (Jiangxi) earned bronze.
Both events are non-Olympic disciplines, designed to provide opportunities for athletes to demonstrate comprehensive skills and deepen China’s diving talent pool. The medal distribution across Shandong, Hunan, Shaanxi, Guangdong, Anhui, and Jiangxi reflects the breadth of China’s provincial diving development system.
The championships conclude on May 29 with the women’s 1m springboard final in the morning and the men’s individual all-around final in the afternoon. These events, while not part of the Olympic program, serve as critical preparation and evaluation opportunities for China’s national team selection as the country continues its dominance in the sport worldwide.