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Shibanwu village team wins the second Zhuji Cun BA championship. [Photo by Zhou Zhihao for Tide News]

On April 7, Chinese basketball icon Yao Ming praised Zhuji's basketball culture via video, lauding the city's deep passion for the sport.

The Cun BA tournament's essence lies in its rural roots. To maintain this authenticity, the tournament vetted player qualifications, ensuring purely village-based teams. This resulted in rare instances where entire teams shared the same surname.

With 311 teams, over 4,200 athletes, and nearly 800 matches, Zhuji's local basketball players found their unique moments in this tournament.

The cheerleaders, with megaphones in hand, passionately led the crowd. [Photo/Tide News]

In the finals, Sandu's number 13, Zhang Haojie, earned the nickname "Zhuji's Lebron" for his standout performance, winning 2,448 votes as the fan favorite. Shibanwu's "twin stars," Yang Zeyu and Yang Jie, both around 20 years old, showcased their skills and chemistry on the court.

"We've watched them grow up! Their performance was incredible, and we couldn't cheer hard enough," said Yang Xiuli, a passionate cheerleader of Shibanwu village.