The 2024 -Village BA- Football Championship Finals were staged and Shandong Huidongji Team won the championship

On October 4, the long-awaited championship match of the 2024 “Village BA” Basketball King Competition took place in Taipan Village, located in Taijiang County, Guizhou Province. The Shandong Huidong Group team demonstrated their dominance by defeating the Gansu Linxia Prefecture team with a score of 101 to 71, clinching the championship title.

Drones provided stunning aerial footage throughout the event, enhancing the electric atmosphere of championship night. This year’s “Village BA” competition, which features men’s five-on-five basketball, is a new and expansive tournament with teams hailing from 24 provinces across China and over 600 participating squads. Event organizers emphasized five core features: maintaining integrity, fostering participation, focusing on competition, enhancing engagement, and improving the overall viewing experience.

After a series of preliminary and group matches, ten teams made it to the finals, including eight undefeated squads along with a host team and an invited team. The final lineup included the Guangxi Debao Team, Sichuan Chengdu Milan Team, Hunan Daoxian Haobainian Team, Anhui Bengbu Huxiang Team, Shandong Huidong Group, Gansu Linxia Prefecture Team, Gansu Subei Snowy Region Vanguard Team, Heilongjiang Baoqing Team, the invited Jiangxi Nankang Furniture Team, and the host team from Guizhou Taijiang.

The finals commenced on September 30, splitting the ten teams into two groups for round-robin play. The top teams from each group advanced to the knockout rounds, leading to an exhilarating finale of ten matches that captivated both online and offline audiences with a vibrant showcase of rural basketball. After fierce competition, the Gansu Linxia Prefecture and Shandong Huidong Group teams emerged victorious in their respective groups, setting the stage for their highly anticipated face-off.

From the outset, the championship match was a whirlwind, with both teams displaying outstanding skills in passing, shooting, rebounding, and driving to the basket. Ultimately, Shandong Huidong Group’s superior performance earned them the title, along with unique prizes such as a head of cattle and silver hats.

That same evening, cultural festivities followed with the Championship Night Mountain Concert, featuring performances from Taiwanese artist Li Shengjie, Mongolian singer Ulan Tuy, Miao singer Die Dang Jiu, and local talent, creating a rich and diverse musical experience. Attendees enjoyed traditional “Beng Miao Di” performances and an impressive drone choreography display.

Reflecting on the event, Hunan visitor Xiang Bokai shared his excitement for “Village BA,” stating, “I’ve been following it for a while, and with the National Day holiday, I seized the chance to dive into the atmosphere. The championship match was thrilling, showcasing high-level play, and the mountain concert was on par with major events.” He remarked that the heart of “Village BA” lies not only in competition but in the passion and energy it injects into rural basketball.

Since its viral emergence during the summer of 2022, the Taipan Village basketball tournament, celebrated on the lunar calendar’s “June 6,” has hosted over ten major events and more than 1,000 matches, helping elevate “Village BA” into a nationally recognized sports phenomenon. The event has attracted over 80 billion views and interactions across various platforms, highlighting the burgeoning popularity of rural basketball in China.