The Zhejiang Lions and Shanxi Loongs maintained their top spots in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) standings after securing victories in the 40th round of the regular season on Thursday night.

The Lions solidified their position at the top with a 36-6 record after edging out the Tianjin Pioneers 109-103. Tied at 80 heading into the fourth quarter, Tianjin initially gained momentum with Zhang Yunmeng's jumper and Lin Bingsheng's 3-pointer.

James Nunnally (L) of Zhejiang Lions vies with Davis James of Tianjin Pioneers during the 42th round match between Tianjin Pioneers and Zhejiang Lions at the 2024-2025 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Tianjin, north China, March 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

However, Zhejiang turned the tide as Barry Brown Jr., the league's second-leading scorer, stepped up when it mattered most. Zhao Jiaren's late 3-pointer ultimately sealed the win for the visitors.

Brown led the Lions with 28 points and six assists, while star center Hu Jinqiu contributed 25 points. Marcus LoVett Jr. topped the scoring for Tianjin with 34 points.

"We've faced strong opponents in recent games. Although we lost today with some veteran players injured, I'm pleased with the fighting spirit the team showed," said Tianjin head coach Zhang Qingpeng.

"Tianjin showed great resilience at home today, which is something we can learn from. I hope my players stay focused for the rest of the regular season," Zhejiang's head coach Wang Bo said during the post-game press conference.

In another Thursday matchup, Shanxi bounced back from Monday's defeat with a commanding 120-99 win over the Sichuan Blue Whales.

Brandon Goodwin led the Loongs with 36 points, while sharpshooter Yuan Shuai added 16. While for Sichuan, Marin Maric delivered an impressive triple-double with 31 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Elsewhere in the 40th round, the Shanghai Sharks edged the Ningbo Rockets 107-103, the Beijing Royal Fighters topped the Fujian Sturgeons 126-119, the Beijing Ducks routed the Jilin Northeast Tigers 134-108, the Liaoning Flying Leopards defeated the Shenzhen Aviators 117-100, the Qingdao Eagles eased past the Jiangsu Dragons, the Shandong Heroes overpowered the Guangzhou Loong Lions 98-77, the Nanjing Monkey Kings narrowly edged the Guangdong Southern Tigers, and the Zhejiang Golden Bulls beat the Xinjiang Flying Tigers 116-103.