On May 18, 2024, with the end of the second game of the CBA finals, the Liaoning men's basketball team continued to maintain its advantage at home, while the Xinjiang men's basketball team faced severe challenges. In this passionate and confrontational game, the controversial blowing penalty of the foreign referee became the focus, especially the failure to rule on Fogg's alleged elbow to Yu Dehao, which aroused strong dissatisfaction with the Xinjiang team and its fans.
In the third quarter of the game, in a seemingly ordinary breakaway, Fergus's movement sparked controversy, and his elbow touched Yu Dehao's face, causing the latter to fall to the ground. Liaoning coaches Yang Ming and Zhao Jiwei on the sidelines mistakenly thought it was a fake fall, and this judgment affected the referee's decision-making. Although the slow-motion showed Fogg's elbow, the referee failed to make an accurate decision, and the omission drew an outcry from Xinjiang head coach Qiu Biao, who eventually received a technical foul for his aggressive behavior.
Although the Xinjiang team's performance in G2 was brave, it was particularly difficult under the referee's controversial decision. Fans took to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the inconsistent standards of referees and the unfairness of Xinjiang players, believing that this affected the fairness of the game. In addition, coach Qiu Biao's post-match remarks showed his affirmation of the team's performance, and although the result was not satisfactory, he emphasized the team's fighting spirit in the face of adversity.
With the series about to move to Xinjiang's home stadium, the Xinjiang team is facing a lot of pressure and expectations and must give it their all in the next games. Head coach Qiu Biao mentioned in the interview that the team needs to be more calm in key moments, reduce turnovers, and improve the shooting rate of free throws and three-pointers. He also admits that as a coach, he needs to make more efforts in terms of tactical deployment and player psychological adjustment.
Although the performance of the foreign referees has caused a lot of controversy, it is also part of the challenge that Xinjiang will need to overcome in future matches. The team's response and adjustment will be key in the upcoming matches. Every game counts for the Xinjiang team, especially on their home turf, where they have a chance to turn things around and show their indomitable fighting spirit.