Shanxi on verge of winning WCBA title

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Maya Moore proved her versatility again with a triple-double performance as Shanxi beat Zhejiang 112-98 in Game 3 of the WCBA finals in Taiyuan on Saturday.

Shanxi, which are making debut in the WCBA this season, now lead the best-of-five series by 2-1.

Moore finished with 43 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, as five teammates also scored double-digit points. Wu Jinzhu and Zhang Wei helped with 14 points and 13 points respectively.

"We had a wonderful play tonight. Though (Elizabeth) Cambage still contributed many points, we did a good job in restricting other players of Zhejiang," said Shanxi coach Lucas Mondelo.

"Moreover, we have five players that scored double-figure points. I am delighted to witness the improvement of local players in this season," he added.

Cambage, the first female player to dunk at the Olympics, scored game-high 56 points from 18 shots and grabbed 16 rebounds. Bian Lan added 11 points.

Moore sparked a 7-0 run for Shanxi with a 3-pointer, only for Dong Xuemei to respond with two consecutive 3-pointers to help the visitors go back into the game.

Then Cambage dominated the paint field, leaving the home team frustrated in defense. But Shanxi managed to keep a tiny lead at 27-24 lead after the first quarter before extending it to 13 points at halftime.

Bian Lan inspired an 8-0 run for Zhejiang in the second half, but Moore soon canceled their efforts with several jumpers as Shanxi found their typical fast rhythm to pull away.

After Cambage was benched the visitors lost composure, only to see the deficit widened to 90-74 into the last 12 minutes.

"We didn't fare well in either offense or defense. We will reflect on our mistakes in this game and try to win the next two home matches," said Zheng Wu, Zhejiang's coach.

Game 4 and Game 5 (if possible) of the finals will be played at Huanglong Sports Center in Hangzhou, instead of Zhejiang's home court Yiwu, due to a one-year suspension from the Chinese basketball governing body following their fans' misconduct in Game 1.

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