On May 13, Beijing time, following a 1-2 series loss to the Beijing Ducks in the CBA quarterfinals, the Guangdong Southern Tigers released a season-ending statement late at night, addressing the challenges faced and expressing gratitude to fans and supporters. However, beneath the official social media post, many fans voiced demands for head coach Du Feng and general manager Zhu Fangyu to be dismissed.
The team first reviewed the decisive Game 3: “In the third match of the CBA quarterfinals, Guangdong faced Beijing on the road. The intensity was high and the game tightly contested. After taking an early lead in the first quarter, Guangdong failed to maintain consistency on both ends, allowing Beijing to mount a comeback. Despite fighting hard and matching the opponent in field goals, a huge disparity in free throws—21 to 41—proved insurmountable, leading to a 73-88 defeat and elimination in the quarterfinals.”
Guangdong then summarized their season: “Looking back at this campaign, despite the pains of roster integration and injuries, we witnessed the growth of young players and the never-give-up spirit of the Southern Tigers. We thank every fan for your unwavering support, the government and social sectors for their care, our sponsors and partners for their dedication, the media for covering our journey, and all staff for ensuring the smooth operation of the league. Our 2025-2026 season has ended. Let us carry this regret and unwillingness as motivation, learn from our losses, and strive toward our goals this summer.”
This marks the second consecutive season Guangdong has been eliminated in the quarterfinals. New domestic signings Cui Yongxi and Jiao Boqiao have yet to integrate into the system, and the team’s foreign player selections have also been problematic. How they adjust their roster this summer will be crucial for challenging higher honors next season.
Notably, many fans flooded the team’s social media with calls for Du Feng and Zhu Fangyu to step down, expressing dissatisfaction with consecutive quarterfinal exits and Du Feng’s post-game comment that “We have 11 championships, so no regrets,” as well as Zhu Fangyu’s earlier bold claim of “winning the title” despite years without a championship.