Zinser was unstoppable at the third quarter to helped the Catfish make a comeback against the Dolphins. Photo courtesy of VBA

HCM CITY The core players of the Cần Thơ Catfish helped the home team make a great comeback in the third quarter to earn a victory against the Nha Trang Dolphins in the 32nd game of VBA 2024.

The home team had a difficult start to the game when big man Yevgen Sakhniuk and other players lacked connection and main shooters Dakota Zinser and Tâm Đinh failed from the three-point line.

On the other side, except for Huỳnh Vĩnh Quang, the Dolphins all found a way to put the ball into the basket and help the guests create a lead of nearly ten points, 26-17, in the first quarter.

The Catfish fought back in the second quarter and tied the score at 37-37 thanks to the stellar play of Lê Khắc Đăng Khoa, who has impressed this season. 

However, the Catfish let the opponent lead by four points before the break.

The game turned around after the break, when Zinser finally got hot at the three-point line with four consecutive three-pointers.

Captain Tâm Đinh also found his rhythm and led his teammates to better play.

The home team quickly equalised and took back the lead. The home team even created a lead of up to 17 points. 

The third quarter end with the score 68-57.

It was also Zinser and Tâm Đinh at the three-point line that ended the guests' hope. The Catfish won with by a score of 85-72.

Zinser was named Player of the Game with 28 points, four assists, four steals, and a free throw rate of 87 per cent (7/8). This is the second time the import player won this title.

"The long break last week had an impact on our performance today. That might have been the reason for the slow start at the beginning. At halftime, we tried to refresh our energy. It was not the first time we had been behind. Focusing on defense might have been the key to getting everyone back on track,” Zinser said after the game.

The Catfish, with five wins and three losses, returned to second place, while the Dolphins, with five wins and five losses, remained in fourth place.

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