For a little-known group of basketball players at the University of Oregon, this Saturday is a big day.

This weekend marks the finals of the UO Asian Basketball Association tournament. The tournament is hosted by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association and organized by the group’s president Yawei Zhang.

The tournament, now in its sixth year, has gained popularity in recent years. The twelve spots for teams to register online go quickly.

“For the two-week slot to sign up, in the first three days, it’s filled,” Zhang said.

Teams form in advance, usually comprised of a group of friends, not based on nationality. Each player is charged a $5 sign-up fee that helps to pay for tournament expenses.

Zhang said this year CSSA put a lot of money into the event. Sponsorships include Chase Bank of Eugene, Chase Village Apartments, and Mercedes-Benz of Eugene.

In the past this tournament was held in an effort to connect the Asian student population with domestic students, but after a few years of overwhelming registration by Asian students, the scope of the tournament was limited. Students must self-identify as Asian in order to compete.

Teams are not allowed to communicate in their native languages, but must rely on English, which helps improve language skills. Zhang says students appreciate the opportunity to play among similar peers.

“It’s no so much about winning,” Zhang says. The point of the tournament, rather, is uniting Asian cultures.

But even so, he says the teams get very competitive and are evenly matched, making for exciting games.

The tournament’s finals will be held in Gerlinger Annex this Saturday at 5 pm.