“The winner should be the outright champion,” one person added. “You can have other team and individual accolades, but for the loser to become the champions, only the Chinese can figure it out.”

“What kind of tournament is it if the champions can be calculated?” read another Weibo comment.

“This is unique,” commented another, in Shandong. “Why don’t we just pick Zhejiang as champions?”

According to Chinese media, the final rankings of the 16-team tournament were determined by a composite score of three criteria.

Tournament results accounted for 75 per cent, but then the standings were adjusted, with physical assessment and technical assessment having 15 per cent and 10 per cent weightings – although the method used was not revealed.

Shandong, unbeaten in seven games, were indeed top of the table, with Zhang – daughter of former national player Yu Ying – rated the best player and Luan Mingjie crowned best coach.

However, that proved irrelevant when the silverware was awarded, as their team were assessed to rank only 10th and fifth in physical and technical assessment respectively.

Zhejiang were deemed to have aced both of those categories and found themselves top of a confusing pile.

A fan from Shandong said the results “subverted my cognition on basketball”, suggesting such calculations “might help China win the World Cup”.

“Perhaps the organisers should recommend Fiba to adopt such criteria in international tournaments,” another Weibo user wrote.

The decision even split Zhejiang supporters.

“With the leadership messing things around, no wonder our football, basketball and volleyball are so far behind,” one Zhejiang user said on Weibo. Another from Zhejiang called it a “shameful” outcome.

“Don’t be surprised,” another said. “If the criteria were explained before the tournament, and accepted by the participating teams, everyone should abide. There is no [problem about] rules awareness if you bring it up afterwards.”