The Beijing Royal Fighters opened their Chinese Basketball Association campaign with a commanding 100-78 victory over the Nanjing Monkey Kings at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Beijing, turning a competitive first half into a one-sided rout with a dominant third quarter.

Chen Guohao led a balanced Beijing attack with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Zou Yuchen added 18 points inside and Liao Sanning chipped in 16 points and seven assists. The Monkey Kings, who trailed by 11 at the break, never recovered after conceding a 12-2 run early in the third period and were outscored 27-21 in that frame before the hosts emptied the bench in the final minutes.

Match Overview

• Fixture: Beijing Royal Fighters vs Nanjing Monkey Kings
• Competition: Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)
• Date: 9 October 2026
• Final Score: Beijing Royal Fighters 100 - 78 Nanjing Monkey Kings
• Venue: Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Beijing

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

• First quarter: Beijing 26 - 19 Nanjing
• Second quarter: Beijing 22 - 18 Nanjing (Half-time: 48-37)
• Third quarter: Beijing 27 - 21 Nanjing (End of third: 75-58)
• Fourth quarter: Beijing 25 - 20 Nanjing (Final: 100-78)

The hosts led from the opening possessions and never surrendered the advantage, steadily stretching a seven-point first-quarter edge into a 22-point margin by the final buzzer. It was a performance built on defensive pressure and efficient half-court execution rather than a single explosive individual night.

How the Game Was Won

Beijing's control of the game started at the defensive end. The Royal Fighters forced 17 turnovers and converted them into 24 points, repeatedly turning Nanjing's rushed possessions into transition opportunities. Their perimeter defenders crowded Lin Wei at the point of attack, denying him clean looks off the pick-and-roll and forcing the Monkey Kings into late-clock improvisation.

On offense, Beijing punished Nanjing's switching scheme with repeated high-low action between Zou Yuchen and Chen Guohao. When the Monkey Kings collapsed into the paint, Liao Sanning found shooters on the weak side; when they stayed home, the Beijing bigs went to work on the block. The hosts shot a healthy percentage from the field and won the rebounding battle, which limited Nanjing's second-chance points to a minimum.

Nanjing's best stretch came midway through the second quarter, when Guo Haowen scored eight straight points on a mix of drives and pull-up jumpers to cut the deficit to single digits. That momentum evaporated immediately after half-time, as Beijing opened the third with a 12-2 surge, capped by a corner three that pushed the lead to 21 and effectively ended the contest.

Standout Performers

• Chen Guohao (Beijing Royal Fighters): 22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks — a two-way anchor who controlled the paint at both ends.
• Zou Yuchen (Beijing Royal Fighters): 18 points on efficient interior shooting, plus 8 rebounds.
• Liao Sanning (Beijing Royal Fighters): 16 points, 7 assists, 2 steals — the engine of the team's transition game.
• Guo Haowen (Nanjing Monkey Kings): 21 points, the lone consistent offensive threat for the visitors.
• Lin Wei (Nanjing Monkey Kings): 14 points and 6 assists, but held to 5-of-14 shooting from the field.

For Nanjing, the result highlighted familiar problems: an over-reliance on isolation scoring and a thin frontcourt rotation that struggled to match Beijing's physicality on the boards. Head coach and staff will want a faster, more connected passing game when the Monkey Kings return home, particularly against opponents who switch as aggressively as the Royal Fighters did.

Season Impact and CBA Standings Context

The win gives Beijing Royal Fighters an early-season boost in the CBA standings, along with a valuable point differential that can matter in tie-break scenarios later in the campaign. The Royal Fighters have been building around a young domestic core in recent seasons, and a 22-point opening-night win over a fellow mid-table rival is exactly the sort of statement result that supports ambitions of a playoff push.

For the Nanjing Monkey Kings, the defeat leaves them searching for answers on both ends. Their offense stalled whenever Lin Wei was taken out of rhythm, and defensively they allowed too many clean looks in the paint. The schedule offers little relief in the CBA's congested early-season calendar, so adjustments will need to come quickly.

Head-to-Head and What's Next

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