Alfred Hollins with the layup against the V Islanders. Saigon Heat crush V Islanders with the final score of 86-48 in the third match of VBA START X 2025. Photo courtesy of VBA

HCM CITY — Saigon Heat made a bold statement in their second appearance at VBA STAR X 2025, overwhelming Filipino guests V Islanders 86-48 on Sunday at CIS Gymnasium, District 7.

The reigning champions have now secured two consecutive victories to start their title defence campaign.

The visitors once again started with a centre-less line-up, as in their tournament opener. Without a dominant presence in the paint, the Islanders struggled to penetrate Saigon Heat’s interior defence.

Exploiting this gap, Nguyễn Huỳnh Phú Vinh – two-time VBA Local MVP – asserted his dominance early, guiding the home team to a 16-7 lead by the seventh minute.

However, the Islanders responded during Phú Vinh’s brief rest. Led by veteran guard Jermale Jones, they mounted a 16-7 run to level the game 23-23 by the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Phú Vinh returned to pair with defensive stalwart Dư Minh An, forming a formidable wall inside.

Their chemistry, alongside sharp ball movement, kept the Filipinos scoreless for over five minutes. With increasingly fluid offence and stifling defence, the Heat built a 14-point lead at halftime, 44-30.

The third quarter was a defensive masterclass from coach David Grice’s squad.

The Heat’s perimeter pressure and interior help defence completely locked down the V Islanders’ offensive sets. The visitors managed just three points in the entire quarter, allowing the Vietnamese side to cruise to a 24-point cushion at 57-33.

With the game well in hand, the home team rotated their bench in the final quarter, maintaining control while preserving their starters’ energy.

Claude Leymark Canete attempted to spark a comeback for the visitors with a pair of long-range shots, but it was too late.

The Heat sealed a commanding 86-48 win.

American forward Alfred Hollins was named Player of the Game after scoring 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting (90 per cent), adding nine rebounds and anchoring the defence.

“This was a perfect start to our season. Two wins in two games show our effort and unity as a team. Personally, I still see room for improvement, and I’ll keep pushing to help us win another championship,” Hollins said post-match.

The Heat outperformed the V Islanders in nearly every major category: field goal percentage (52 per cent to 31), rebounds (41 to 34), assists (19 to 6), and steals (15 to 7). Most notably, the Heat limited the visitors to just 25 points across the final three quarters – a defensive feat that underlined their championship pedigree.

Jones was the lone bright spot for the visitors, finishing with 13 points. None of his teammates reached double figures. Coach Jose Antonio Garcia’s side will have one more opportunity to face the Heat in the group stage – and a lot to prove in that matchup. VNS