High school basketball leagues opens season

Players from Tsinghua University High School (in black) and their opponents from Beijing No 4 High School hustle for a loose ball during the opening game of the 2015-16 National High School 3X3 Basketball League in Beijing on November 24, 2015. Provided to China Daily

Despite the freezing cold on a snowy afternoon in Beijing, the atmosphere in the gym at Tsinghua University High School was warm and intense on Tuesday as the National High School 3X3 Basketball League started its 2015-16 season.

After receiving championship rings for winning the inaugural season in September at a special ceremony, the host and defending champion team from Tsinghua University High proved its prowess by beating Beijing No 4 High School, 21-15, in the opening game of the new season in front of a home crowd.

The league, which features the three-a-side competition on a half court for a single period of 10 minutes, was initiated last year by the basketball association of Chinese School Sports Federation (CSSF) and sponsored by sports brand Adidas.

The 2015-16 season will see 576 high school teams from 18 provincial and municipal regions compete in the local preliminaries from December to next April.

The top two teams of each region will advance into the 36-strong north-south division knockout phase from June to July 2016 before the champion and runner-up of each division compete at the national final in August.

High-profile NBA guard Jeremy Lin of the Charlotte Hornets, who is a brand ambassador of Adidas, greeted the Chinese high school players via a video at the opening event on Tuesday.

"I hope all the student players could keep their passion to the game and play at the highest level they can in the new season," Lin said in the video.

Zhang Yanjun, executive vice-chairman of CSSF, said the league will help develop a talent pool for basketball in China.

"Basketball has always been a popular sport among the youth. The competition in their familiar format, which they play every day on campus, will inspire wider participation in the sport while developing the talents," he said.