Fans cheer for the opening game of the Jinhua Division of ZheBA in Jinhua, Zhejiang province on July 13. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

The Jinhua Division of the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, known as the "ZheBA", kicked off at the Jinhua Sports Center Gymnasium on July 13 with an opening game between Dongyang and Yiwu — two county-level cities in Jinhua, Zhejiang province.

ZheBA is a top grassroots sporting event launched by Zhejiang province to promote nationwide fitness and tap into the potential of community-level basketball events. It spans all 11 prefecture-level cities and 90 counties, county-level cities and districts across the province.

During the opener of the Jinhua Division, Yiwu dominated the first quarter with swift plays and accurate outside shooting, steadily widening its lead. Dongyang countered with strong inside attacks and teamwork but fell short. In the end, Yiwu claimed victory with a 69-46 lead.

Basketball players fight for the ball. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

The event offered more than just intense competition on the court. During halftime, the venue turned into a creative showcase of local culture.

Dongyang brought Hengdian World Studios, the world's largest film and television shooting base, to center court, with professional NPCs dressed as popular film characters interacting with fans.

Yiwu's performance highlighted its vibrant trade spirit and surprised the crowd with blind boxes filled with small commodities from its famed "World's Supermarket".

As the final whistle blew, the opening match came to an end, but the story of ZheBA in Jinhua is just beginning.