Đà Nẵng Dragons ( black shirt)  keep their winning streak after the match against Ho Chi Minh City WIngs. Photo courtesy of VBA

ĐÀ NẴNG — Taking full advantage of their home court once again — and the all-around brilliance of Timothy Simmons — the Danang Dragons cruised to a resounding 101-66 victory over the Ho Chi Minh City Wings in their fifth game of the VBA 2025 STAR X season at the Military Zone 5 Arena on Wednesday night.

It was a landmark evening for Simmons, who became the first player in the tournament to register a triple-double, tallying 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.

His relentless energy and versatility on both defence and in transition proved decisive in a game the Dragons controlled from start to finish.

The match began with the City Wings already at a disadvantage, as star guard Trần Đăng Khoa was unavailable. Without their key scorer, coach Predrag Lukic’s side struggled to find offensive rhythm early on.

Filipino import Kobe Pableo was called in just three minutes into the game to lift the visitors’ offence, and he managed to make an immediate impact near the rim.

But the Dragons, buoyed by a passionate home crowd and riding the momentum of their previous win, quickly took command. Powered by sharp perimeter shooting — including six three-pointers in the first quarter — they surged ahead 31-19. Vietnamese-American Kyan Washington and Hoàng Tú, coming off the bench, accounted for half of those triples.

The second quarter saw the City Wings briefly threaten through the Pableo-Austin pairing, who tried to capitalise on mismatches in the paint. However, Đà Nẵng’s consistent three-point barrage forced the visitors to stretch their defence, creating gaps that the home side exploited with fast breaks and aggressive drives to the basket. By halftime, the Dragons had doubled their lead to 60-36.

Coach Hoàng Thế Vinh used the final quarter to rotate his bench. Players like Lâm Minh Duy, Lê Hoàng Quân, and Hoàng Tú continued to apply pressure, extending the lead to as much as 40 points. With the City Wings offering little resistance in the closing minutes, the Dragons sealed an emphatic 101-66 triumph.

Karachi Edo was named Player of the Game after recording 16 points and six rebounds. Speaking post-match, he praised Simmons’ milestone performance: “We executed the coach’s game plan really well. The team played with great energy. I’m especially happy for Timothy — he deserves that triple-double. He’s all over the court and never stops working.”

The Dragons outperformed their opponents across all major statistics. Notably, every player who stepped on court for Đà Nẵng contributed points — a testament to their depth and cohesion. Hoàng Tú and Lâm Minh Duy led the second unit with 15 and 10 points, respectively.

For the City Wings, in the absence of Trần Đăng Khoa, James Martinez and Darius Kevonte Austin carried the scoring load, combining for 37 points. However, it wasn’t enough to avoid a fifth straight loss, leaving them at the bottom of the standings.

With this win, the Danang Dragons improved to 2-2 and maintained fourth place, while the Ho Chi Minh City Wings slipped to seventh with a 0-5 record. VNS