A villager breaks through during Luojing Town's annual basketball tournament on Friday. 

The city’s rural basketball tournament ended in north Luojing Town in Baoshan District on Friday.

The annual event initiated in 2017 aims to showcase local farmers as well as boost construction of rural sports facilities.

Over 100 villagers and farmers in 20 amateur teams took part in the three-month contest. A team from Luojing Middle School won the top prize, followed by Tangwan and Haihong villages.

A highlight of this year’s event was that all the games were broadcast through a mobile phone app to encourage more villagers to take part.

The town, built along the Yangtze River, serves as a major agricultural center for Shanghai and is renowned for its hairy crabs and crayfish. It has been proclaimed the city’s first “basketball town” amid ongoing efforts by the city government to encourage more people to take up sports.

Residents have a long-standing obsession with basketball and many are skilled players, a township official said.

Such efforts are also part of the Baoshan District government’s goal to turn the once heavily industrial district into a center for sports. More venues and facilities are being built across the district.

Villagers in Luojing Town battle it out in their annual basketball tournament on Friday. 

A tense encounter during one of Friday's games. 

Medals are awarded to players from Luojing Middle School after their victory.