Tournament MVP Sung Hsin-hao of Chengchi University (left) takes on Shi Kui of Tsinghua University during the inaugural AUBL final on Sunday. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

In the sweltering summer of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, the stage was set — 12 university teams from across Asia gathered for the inaugural Asian University Basketball League (AUBL).

For these young athletes, the scoreboard mattered, but it was the courage to compete, the resilience to bounce back, and the thrill of the game that defined them. There could be only one champion — and this year, that title belongs to Chengchi University in Taiwan.

Head coach Chen Tzu-wei described Sunday's 82-79 final win against Tsinghua University as "a thrilling contest, with both teams giving their all".

He added, "It is an honor to be part of this inaugural AUBL tournament and to give our team such a memorable night. This championship is an important recognition."

Chengchi's team, now in its eighth year, was backed by a strong crowd of alumni who cheered from the stands.

Yet for Chen, the tournament meant more than the trophy.

"One of our main goals was exchanging ideas among players and coaches — a rare and valuable opportunity that will help basketball in Asia and allow this event to grow," Chen said.

He also praised the tournament's organization, saying the hospitality left a lasting impression.

"From the moment we landed, every need was taken care of by the organizers," he said. "It was deeply touching to be part of this. We must cherish this opportunity and hope this tournament continues, with more schools joining in so that every university can experience the magic of this stage."

Tsinghua University, a dominant force in Chinese university basketball, staged two consecutive comeback victories and pushed Chengchi to the final moments, a mere three points separating the two at the end.

Head coach Chen Lei said that while missing out on the championship was regrettable, he was proud of his team's grit.

"Our players fought hard until the very last moment despite being behind. Their performance was excellent," he said.

Players named to the 2025 All-AUBL Team (L-R): Joel Monga Banza (Hakuoh University), Kim Jun-young (Konkuk), Sung Hsin-hao (Chengchi), Xi Taicheng, and Shi Kui (Tsinghua). PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

"Through this tournament, they also identified areas where they can improve, which will make our future training more focused. Chengchi University's team structure and operation are close to a professional level. We have a lot to learn from them, and I hope we will have more opportunities to play against each other in the future."

Among the surprises of the tournament was Etugen University from Mongolia, the undisputed dark horse of the competition. Founded in 2013, it has grown into a domestic powerhouse but remains largely unknown internationally. That changed in Hangzhou.

It narrowly lost to Chengchi University in overtime during the group stage, and once again fell to the same opponent in a hard-fought semifinal. In the third-place playoff, it was edged out by Japan's formidable Hakuoh University, finishing fourth overall.

Usukhbayar Otgonbayar, 23, reflected on the team's journey: "Both games against Chengchi University were fiercely contested. Both sides wanted to win badly, but we made some crucial mistakes at key moments, and that cost us the game," he said.

"But it's okay — we will come back stronger, we'll prepare ourselves, and we'll be ready to fight again," he said.

Otgonbayar praised the level of competition. "Every opponent was very strong. It was an honor to be part of a tournament like this," he said.