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Zhuji's annual rural basketball tournament concluded its second season on June 16, with the "Cun BA" capturing hearts across Shaoxing, Zhejiang province.

The finals, held at Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, raised 535,224 yuan ($73,598.85) for the Zhuji Charity Federation from ticket sales alone.

The third match of the second Zhuji Cun BA finals tips off at Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University on June 16. [Photo/Tide News]

At the opening whistle, Shibanwu village's player number 21, Yang Lengfeng, scored a two-pointer, sparking a small run. Sandu Community's key player, number 13 Zhang Haojie, faced a triple team, leading to two turnovers, ending the first quarter with a 9-18 deficit for Sandu community.

In the second quarter, Sandu's number 3, Zhang Qiming, opened with a three-pointer. On the other side, Shibanwu's player number 1, Yang Zeyu, maintained his form with an alley-oop and jump shot, complemented by a three-pointer from number 11, Yang Jie, keeping Shibanwu ahead at 30-23.

In the third quarter, Yang Zeyu of Shibanwu continued to dominate, likened to a whirlwind on offense. Sandu responded quickly, leading to a seesaw battle with Shibanwu entering the final quarter ahead at 40-36.

Number 13 player Zhang Haojie from Sandu community, nicknamed "Zhuji's Lebron" by fans, blocks an opponent's layup in the finals. [Photo/Tide News]

In the decisive final quarter, Sandu closed the gap with consecutive shots. However, Shibanwu's young players surged with energy, with Yang Zeyu hitting a crucial three-pointer, securing a 53-47 victory for Shibanwu and clinching the second Zhuji Cun BA championship.

The finals saw tickets sell out quickly, filling over 5,000 seats, with online viewership surpassing 3 million.

The closing ceremony included awards for the champions, runners-up, best referee, most valuable player, collaboration awards, sportsmanship awards, and best venue awards.