Beijing one game away to first CBA title

Stephon Marbury (L) of the Beijing Ducks tackles against a Guangdong Southern Tigers player during the Game 4 of the CBA Finals against at the MasterCard Center in Beijing, March 28, 2012. [Photo by Cui Meng / China Daily]

BEIJING - Again, Beijing Ducks showed they are a better team than the defending champions of the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) Guangdong Dongguan Bank.

The Ducks, a CBA finals newcomer, were 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series after beating Guangdong 107-98 at home on Wednesday. They are now just one win away from their first-ever CBA title. The fifth game is scheduled on Friday.

"We need to keep the consistence, the focus, the attention, as we usually did, to face the next game. We'll play the fifth game as the first one," said Beijing's head coach Min Lulei.

Beijing's Randolph Morris had game-high 32 points and 12 rebounds, while Stephon Marbury chipped in 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the capital team.

Aaron Brooks led Guangdong with 28 points but shot 3-out-of-12 from behind the arc.

Both sides entered the do-or-die game with determination and fought in every corner of the court throughout, as neither team led by more than six points in the first three quarters.

A Beijing fan cheers for the host team during Game 4 of the CBA Finals between the Beijing Ducks and the Guangdong Southern Tigers at the MasterCard Center in Beijing, March 28, 2012. [Photo by Cui Meng / China Daily]

Leading by 76-70 by the end of third quarter, Beijing could not build up a clear advantage in front of the 18,000 home fans as Guangdong answered every time when the home team tried to break off.

Guangdong, which won seven titles in the 17-year league, collapsed in the final period, as they did in their previous two defeats in the series.

The road team failed to score in three and a half minutes after Zhu Fangyu's three-pointer closed it on 96-92 with 4:44 minutes to go.

Beijing hung on to make a 7-0 run when they used out every 24-second attacking clock to lead 103-92 with 1:20 to go.

Brooks buried a quick three-point play before Wang Shipeng added a 3-pointer, but it was too late to turn the tables.

Beijing's starting power forward Zhu Yanxi was taken to a hospital after he clashed with Guangdong's guard Chen Jianghua and fell down in the third quarter.

"I hope he will come back next game. But I think he'll be happy when he knows we won," said Beijing's guard Li Xuelin.

Stephon Marbury of the Beijing Ducks celebrates after the Game 4 of the CBA Finals against the Guangdong Southern Tigers at the MasterCard Center in Beijing, March 28, 2012. [Photo by Cui Meng / China Daily]