The Hong Kong Bulls on Tuesday clinched a record third consecutive National Basketball League (NBL) crown after downing the Shanghai Blackbird 99-72 to sweep the championship series 3-0.

The Bulls put on a show from the opening tip in front of thousands of fans at Kai Tak Arena, building a 28-10 lead by the end of the first quarter.

They led 50-29 at the break and the lead ballooned to 40 points at one stage in the second half before the starters were pulled, allowing the Blackbird to trim their deficit in the final frame.

EJ Anosike led the way with 23 points and was named Finals MVP. Four other players finished in double figures, including 19 from Mason Jones.

With the sweep, the Bulls became the first team from the second-tier Chinese basketball league to achieve a three-peat since its inception in 2004.

It also capped off a dominant campaign for the Bulls, who finished atop the NBL regular season with a 23-3 record.



Edited by Raymond Yeung