Mykal Jenkins at three pointer line, the Dolphins win tense game against the Dragons. Photo courtesy of VBA

Xuân Đăng 

HCM CITY - The Nha Trang Dolphins defeated the Đà Nẵng Dragons, helping the "beach city boys" take third place in the rankings.

This was the second time this season that the two teams have met, and both teams were looking for a victory to relieve pressure.

The defending runner-up just had its winning streak broken by a big loss to the Catfish, while the Dragons were stuck in a losing streak.

Although inferior to their opponents in terms of achievements and squad depth, in the most recent match, the Dragons significantly improved thanks to the return of coach Todd Purves. At the same time, the "Hàn River Dragons" also had the brilliance of domestic defenders Huỳnh Trực Nhân and Dương Đức Trí.

Two teams started the game with high determination. Both ends of the court featured one-on-one battles between big men Dominique Tham and Max Allen.

The competition was fierce, but the Dragons' shooters and imported player Marquis Davison were more efficient, the Dragons temporarily took the lead at 30-22.

In the second quarter, in just three minutes, the main players quickly helped the Dolphins equalise the score at 33-33.

From here, both teams played neck to neck, and the Dragons took the lead by just one point at 46-45.

Returning after the break, the Dolphins sped up the tempo with a 14-0 run. The Dolphins ended the third quarter with a 12-point lead at 76-64

In the deciding quarter, the Dragons played trapping defence to force turnovers and narrowed the lead.

In the fifth minute of the quarter, veteran shooter Triệu Hán Minh made a three-pointer to narrow the lead to only five points.

Although they were close to their opponents, the Dragons' efforts were pushed back by Mykal Jenkins - a centre who dominated inside the paint.

In the final minute, coach Todd Purves and his team had a chance to tie the score. However, Trực Nhân missed two free throws, and Marquis Davison shot an air ball, causing the Dragons to suffer a narrow defeat of 90-86.

Joe Mvuezolo, the Dolphins' top scorer, was named Player of the Game with 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

"We made a lot of mistakes today. The team still has a lot to improve on. However, this victory will help me and the other players regain confidence and start a new winning streak," Joe Mvuezolo shared.

The Dragons lost the match due to a lack of physical strength and experience in crunch time. However, coach Todd Purves and his team continued to have another positive game, especially in terms of individual performance.

Marquis Davison of the Dragons had an excellent performance. The imported player led the entire field with 30 points, while bringing in 14 rebounds, 5 steals, 5 blocks. 

After July 12 night's results, the Dolphins returned to the top three in the standings with four wins and three losses, while the Dragons remained in fifth place with just one win and five losses

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