Guangdong forward Zhou named CBA Defensive Player of first stage after resumption

BEIJING - The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) announced that Guangdong Southern Tigers forward Zhou Peng has been named the Defensive Player of the first stage after the league's restart.

As the CBA league resumed on June 20, Zhou, captain of China's national team, made a return from a left foot metatarsal fracture before last summer's FIBA World Cup on home court.

He averaged 9.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 steals as Guangdong won all eight matches since the restart.

On the first day of the CBA's resumption, Zhou made his season debut after over 300 days out with a serious foot injury, posting six points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 21 minutes of play as Guangdong thrashed the Shanxi Loongs 105-82.

Zhou scored 20 points to go with eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block in Guangdong's 45-point rout of the Beijing Royal Fighters on July 1.

He registered 11.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals on average in 11 matches.