“The working hours in basketball training are relatively flexible, which allows me to keep my evenings free for games,” Ye said. For him, being on the court was a top priority. During that period, while competing in his own right, he also represented his hometown of Taishun, winning numerous honors for it.

The story that followed quickly became well known. During the group stage of the ZJBA, when Taishun faced Yongjia, Ye poured in 38 points in a single game, setting a new single-game record for the Wenzhou division. By the end of the group stage, his total of 108 points secured him the title of the division’s top scorer.

◎“ Coach, I’ll take on their toughest player”

But when Ye Guanghui first joined Team Wenzhou, he struggled to find his place on a roster brimming with talent — much like a top student entering a class of prodigies and realizing he was just one among many.

In the first two games of the city tournament, his eagerness to impress backfired. Unfamiliar with the team’s tactics, he struggled to perform and was relegated to sit on the bench, facing doubt from teammates and spectators alike.

Unwilling to sit on the sidelines, Ye spent several days reflecting before deciding to turn things around. A few days ahead of the third game, he approached head coach Lou Jianqiang and said with determination,“ Just give me a chance to play, and I’ll take on their toughest player — please trust me!”

Coach Lou was relieved — he desperately needed someone on the team willing to do the gritty work.

From that point on, Ye played tirelessly, without worrying about personal gain. In every game, he took on the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s top scorer while still putting up 20 points or more on offense. Time and again, he delivered what came to be known as his“ moments of glory,” reclaiming control of the game and asserting himself as a rising star.

The ZJBA wasn’t the highest level of competition Ye had ever played in, but it was undoubtedly the one that drew the most attention. He thrived on the roar of the crowd. Hearing fans chant his name in unison, he felt as if“ every pore in his body was bursting with energy”.