HUTB Wins 2025 Hunan Provincial College Basketball League Championship
2025-11-15
On November 14, the 2025 Hunan Provincial College Basketball League finals, organized by the Department of Education of Hunan Province, concluded. Led by head coach Fang Junlei and assistant coach Lu Jianing, the HUTB men's basketball team overcame all challenges, defeating long-time rivals the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) 74-67 in the finals to claim the championship. This victory marks a new chapter for the university's men's basketball team, following their semifinal appearance in 2024 and runner-up finish in 2023, demonstrating sustained progress toward the title. Simultaneously, the HUTB women's basketball team secured a hard-earned third place. Head coach Fang Junlei was honored with the "Outstanding Coach" award.
The competition attracted 23 teams from universities across the province, which engaged in 53 intense matches over six days, presenting a spectacular series of basketball games. After progressing through group stages, elimination rounds, and semifinals, the men's final ultimately featured a showdown between NUDT and HUTB.
The HUTB men's basketball team demonstrated strong competitiveness early in the group stage. In their opening match against Hunan International Economics University, the team displayed full-court dominance with multiple players contributing offensively, securing a decisive 88-33 victory that set an assertive tone for their campaign. The second game against Hunan University of Science and Technology saw the players exhibit cohesive teamwork, leveraging a solid offensive and defensive system to claim a 67-44 win, thereby locking in their advancement ahead of schedule. Entering the knockout stage, the men's basketball team regrouped and embarked on a powerful comeback journey. In the quarterfinals, the team faced Central South University of Forestry and Technology, which had defeated them in the third-place match the previous year. In this highly anticipated rematch, the players demonstrated unwavering determination and tenacious effort, outperforming their opponents on both ends of the court to secure a 63-45 victory. In the semifinals against the host team, Hunan University of Finance and Economics, every team member contributed significantly, maintaining relentless offensive and defensive pressure to clinch a 60-48 win and advance confidently to the finals.
The final featured a classic rematch, pitting our university's men's basketball team against their 2023 rivals, NUDT. The final featured a classic rematch, pitting our university's men's basketball team against their 2023 rivals, the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT). Our players maintained composure under pressure, controlling the tempo with accurate shooting and tenacious defense to ultimately secure a 74-67 victory over their opponents and claim the championship title.
From the steady progression in the group stage to the strategic advances in the knockout rounds, our university's men's basketball team demonstrated unwavering perseverance and a relentless competitive spirit through a series of challenging games. This championship not only serves as a testament to the team's strength but also represents a milestone in the development of basketball at the university, adding a vibrant chapter to the construction of campus sports culture. Equally commendable is the tenacious performance of our university's women's basketball team, which fought hard through consecutive intense matches to secure third place in the province, showcasing the collaborative spirit and fearless competitiveness of HUTB students. According to the regulations of the 28th Chinese University Basketball Association (Second Division) League, the HUTB men's basketball team has earned the qualification to represent Hunan Province in the national competition.
The men's championship and women's third-place victory are hard-won fruits born from the players' day-to-day rigorous training, the CPC HUTB Committee's strategic emphasis on sports development, and the shining results of the "Sports HUTB" educational philosophy.
(Written by the School of Sports and Health and photo by Fan Huaijun)
