Asia League: Nagoya blitzes past Zhejiang, tops Group A for semis entry

Nagoya Diamond Dolphins vs Zhejiang Guangsha Lions during The Asia League’s ‘The Terrific 12’ at Studio City Event Center on 20 September 2018, in Macau, Macau. Photo by Win Chung Jacky Tsui / Power Sport Images for Asia League

MACAU—Nagoya breezed through the preliminaries and capped off its group stage campaign with a 79-71 win over Zhejiang Guangsha in the Asia League The Terrific 12 Thursday at Studio City Events Center here.

The Diamond Dolphins from Japan topped Group A with a 2-0 record and advanced to the semifinals to face fellow B.League team Ryukyu in the penultimate round.

It wasn’t much of a back-and-forth affair between the two teams but Nagoya found an opening in the third quarter after getting a 12-point lead, 61-49, on Markeith Cummings’ triple at the 4:35 mark of the period.

Li Jinglong managed to cut the deficit to a single digit, 67-59, at the start of the fourth but Cummings and Toshihiro Nakatsuka were quick to respond with five unanswered points to put Nagoya up 72-59 with 8:10 left in the game.

Cummings, who once played for NorthPort in the PBA, led the Diamond Dolphins with 25 points and nine rebounds while Craig Brackins had a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Jinglong put up 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions with center Ioannis Bourousis pitching in 16 points and 13 boards.