by silubaba writers Li Ziliang, Ma Kai, Su Bin
URUMQI, July 1 (silubaba) -- Just as his idol Kobe Bryant often did in the NBA, Hazritili Emin shows his versatility in a game he's been passionate about for so long.
Hazritili and many other basketball enthusiasts are participating in a competition that recently kicked off in Bachu County, Kashgar Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
With his points, rebounds and assists, Hazritili soon came under the spotlight. The Xinjiang Normal University graduate scored a game-high 17 points, leading his Yenge Awat Village team to a 40-32 victory over a neighboring village's team.
"As the competition is held in my village, I couldn't wait to step on the court," he said proudly.
Outside the court, swarming vendors sell fruits, cakes and noodles.
"In the past, when our village organized basketball games, people from other villages were unwilling to join us, but now, even people living far away are willing to come to play here with us," he said.
In the Uygur language, Yenge Awat means new prosperity, and the village, which has 508 households and a population of over 1,900 people, benefitted from the local government's financial aid, training programs and other business-friendly policies.
Yenge Awat has witnessed a boost in raising livestock for some years and was lifted out of poverty in 2019.
In addition, Yenge Awat has also ridden the wave of the Internet, with the village organizing a three-hour livestream almost every evening to promote local specialties such as walnuts and red dates.
"Through our livestreaming, more people across China have learned about our specialties, and our village's income has grown as well," said Adil Amat, a young village leader.
As Hazritili showcased his outstanding basketball skills, Raziye Amar, a Serikbuya Township official, is live broadcasting the game on a popular short-video platform.
"After watching my live broadcast and knowing there are basketball matches in Yenge Awat, they come here to earn money," said Raziye, who often live broadcasts local food on social media.
After finishing his game, Hazritili bought a watermelon nearby and shared it with his teammates.
For him, the chance of playing basketball together with his old buddies was a big part in his decision to return to Yenge Awat.
"Now as we have a decent basketball court in our village, we feel more motivation to play a lot. Young villagers prefer playing basketball to drinking and gambling," said Hazritili.
The 1.90-meter guard took up the sport in a rural primary school under the guidance of his uncle, known locally for his basketball skills. He gradually grew into a star player at both high school and college, and earned the chance to compete in the Chinese University Basketball Association (CUBA) league, the elite league for Chinese collegiate players. That might be the reason he was chosen to represent players taking an oath at the opening ceremony of his hometown competition.
Hazritili joined the armed forces as a sophomore and returned to resume study two years later. When he graduated this summer, he decided to return to Yenge Awat to run his own business, raising cattle and sheep.
"My family started cultivating sheep in my childhood, so it's not a novelty for me," he said.
After setting up the cattle and sheep sheds, Hazritili applied for a 300,000 RMB (41,480 U.S. dollars) three-year interest-free loan, aiming to house no fewer than 100 sheep and 20 cattle at the beginning.
"I hope that I can pay back the loan next year, before I think of expanding the business," Hazritili said of his ranch.
Besides his aim to expand his business, Hazritili also hopes to help his village team qualify for the regional competition finals to be held in Hotan Prefecture in late July.
Perhaps a bigger goal has already taken root in his mind: to compete in the national "Gorgeous Countryside", or better known as the "CunBA" finals, which will take place in Taijiang County of southwest China's Guizhou Province in October. ■
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