Photo taken on March 26, 2023 shows an aerial view of one of the final matches of the first provincial "Beautiful Countryside" Basketball League, dubbed as the "Village BA," held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, with more than 20,000 spectators present. [Photo/VCG]

Commentators switched between Mandarin and the local dialect; ethnic songs and dances were performed during the halftime show; spectators hit stainless steel pots to cheer up players; winners took home fish, fruits and vegetables as prizes …

The finals of the southwestern Guizhou Province's first "Beautiful Countryside" Basketball League were held in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, from March 25 to 27, 2023. Thanks to the game, more than 20,000 spectators from near and far flocked to the small mountain village with a population of only 1,000 residents. The players tried their best on the court to win glory for their hometown, attracting millions of viewers on the internet. People hailed the grassroot basketball tournament as the "Village Basketball Association," or "Village BA," wittily comparing it to the prestigious National Basketball Association (NBA) in a wordplay.