Kyle Fogg scored 49 points as the Liaoning Flying Leopards extended their winning streak to 10 games after edging the Beijing Royal Fighters 121-116 in
Facing the defending champion, the Royal Fighters made five of eight three-pointers, and six of seven free throws, taking a 37-24 lead in the first quarter.
Liaoning reduced the deficit to six midway through the second, but Zhang Fan scored from beyond the arc before Chen Guohao's outstanding dunk and his one of two free throws put the home team up by double digits.
Fogg, who formerly played for the Royal Fighters, scored 14 in the second quarter, helping his team narrow the halftime gap to nine points.
The home team then decelerated, and Liaoning outscored Beijing 31-18 and led 89-85 before the final period.
The Royal Fighters continued to chase the score and led 97-96 midway through the fourth quarter. Then Zhang Zhenlin converted two free throws, but Zhang Fan hit two three-pointers and Kay Felder added one point, extending the home team's lead to eight with 6:04 remaining.
The Royal Fighters were on the verge of sealing their historic victory against the visitors in their 21st clash, but when facing Liaoning's full press tactic, the home team committed three fatal mistakes in a row.
Fogg hit a three-pointer with 13.4 seconds to go, dashing the Royal Fighters' hopes.
"Compared with Liaoning, we didn't have disadvantages in skills, but on a mental level," said the Royal Fighters' head coach Min Lulei.
Also on Friday, the Jilin Northeast Tigers fell to the Zhejiang Lions 101-96, suffering their seventh straight loss.
