The quarterfinalists for the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League (Zhejiang BA) are nearly confirmed, and although the final spot will be announced on January 10th, the pattern of four county-level teams—Fuyang, Cangnan, Yongkang, and Zhuji—advancing alongside four district-level city representative teams is already set.
The fact that county-level teams can compete on equal footing with their "big brother" district-level cities stems from the unique competition format of "Zhejiang BA," which differs from most amateur leagues, including the top-tier "Jiangsu Super League." The "Jiangsu Super League" originated from city rivalry matches between Nanjing and Suzhou and has always maintained a "municipal-level mindset" based on district-level cities. In contrast, "Zhejiang BA" adopts a "county-level mindset," with its granularity focused on county-level administrative divisions—over 90 teams were formed from all counties (cities, districts) of the province's 11 district-level cities, plus some functional zones, competing in preliminary rounds across 11 zones, each producing one champion team; each district-level city then selected players from non-champion teams within its jurisdiction to form municipal all-star teams, resulting in 22 teams entering the "City Championship" starting last August, which were divided into two groups for a home-and-away double round-robin stage, with the top four from each group advancing to form the quarterfinals.
While the "Jiangsu Super League" emphasizes the "integration of culture, tourism, sports, and commerce," "Zhejiang BA" adds an "agricultural" dimension—this single character difference reflects the two distinct philosophies. Nevertheless, the competition format merely provides the platform; actual results depend on the teams themselves. The equal split of quarterfinal spots between county and city teams demonstrates the competitiveness of Zhejiang's county-level regions.
During the "City Championship" phase, Wenzhou's Cangnan team has faced municipal teams ten times, achieving seven wins and three losses. Head coach Hong Xueqin revealed that county teams benefit from longer player磨合 periods and more mature offensive and defensive coordination compared to city teams that select top talents from various counties and cities—an advantage particularly evident in the early stages of the tournament. The Cangnan roster includes 10 players graduated from Lingxi No.1 Middle School, a sports-focused school that produced national team player Wu Qian, with many being "brothers-in-arms" trained by the same coach and regularly playing together in amateur clubs, resulting in high默契 and smooth tactical execution.
Furthermore, "Zhejiang BA" prohibits professional players, barring athletes who have participated in national professional leagues, Chinese University First Division leagues, or overseas leagues at various levels. "This creates a relatively level playing field regarding the 'skill ceiling,' while county team players exhibit stronger regional pride and sense of belonging—a kind of 'nuclear motivation,'" Hong explained, noting instances where Cangnan players exhausted themselves to the point of cramping during games, sometimes needing assistance to leave the court afterward, having "used every ounce of energy to fight for hometown glory."
As fundamental units of national governance with complete elements and functions, county-level regions show significant positive correlation between sports development and economic strength. Zhejiang, being an economic powerhouse at the county level, has 15 and 13 county-level divisions listed in the 2025 "CCID Top 100 Counties (Cities)" and "CCID Top 100 Districts" respectively, collectively accounting for 31% of the province's total county-level divisions; by 2024, the province's rural disposable income per capita had led all provincial-level regions for 40 consecutive years. Among the 11 county teams in the "Zhejiang BA" City Championship, four—Yuyao, Zhuji, Changxing, and Yongkang—are "Top 100 County (City)" recipients, with two battling through 110 intense matches to reach the quarterfinals.
Basketball enjoys strong grassroots foundation in Zhejiang, illustrated by scenes from last year's second Dongzhou Subdistrict Basketball League in Hangzhou's Fuyang District. Across Zhejiang, 55,000 basketball courts are distributed throughout urban and rural areas, with numerous counties and towns regularly organizing competitions. Zhuji City's Xishi "Village BA" in Shaoxing was selected by the General Administration of Sport as one of the first batch of exemplary mass "three major ball games" events, attracting over 14,000 participants cumulatively across three years, with last year's tournament spanning more than three months, featuring 327 village teams and over 850 matches. Hangzhou's Fuyang District has held seven "Hundred-Village Basketball Tournaments," during which the popularity of local KTVs, bars, chess clubs, and internet cafes noticeably declines, with its "Zhejiang BA" team largely composed of elite players from the previous two tournaments.
Since last year, mass sports activities have gained momentum nationwide, with regions showcasing diverse approaches, and both "Jiangsu Super League" and "Zhejiang BA" have been repeatedly praised by the General Administration of Sport. While the "Jiangsu Super League" focuses on competition among 13 district-level cities, "extensive mobilization at the county level" characterizes "Zhejiang BA." Currently, Zhejiang's inaugural Provincial City Football League (Zhejiang Super) is adopting "Zhejiang BA's" approach, dividing into preliminary and city championship stages, with district-level city preliminaries featuring county-formed teams already underway.
