Buffaloes claimed a narrow 96-94 victory over Catfish to keep their place at the top of the VBA standings. Photo courtesy of VBA

HÀ NỘI - The Hanoi Buffaloes claimed a narrow 96-94 victory over the Cantho Catfish in a high-stakes match at Tây Hồ Gymnasium on Sunday evening, consolidating their place at the top of the VBA standings.

The much-anticipated clash between the two leading teams in the league marked the end of Week 11. The hosts fielded a strong starting line-up, including young talent Tô Ngọc Khánh.

On the visitors’ side, the Catfish were short-handed, missing key players Dajuan Madden, due to injury, and Dominique Tham, who was unable to replace Kevin Lê as the team’s Vietnamese-heritage player.

The opening quarter was a battle between two dominant centres. Malek Green, the league’s top scorer, spearheaded the visitors’ fast-paced attacks, while Tamyrik Fields proved effective on both ends with timely rebounds and second-chance conversions. Despite the intense contest, the Catfish edged ahead 26-23 at the end of the quarter.

In the second period, the Buffaloes deployed multiple rotations, drawing energy from their bench. However, coach Phan Thanh Cảnh’s side continued to surprise, showing excellent adaptability and spreading the scoring load across the court. Their unpredictable offence helped them maintain a slim lead, 50-48, at halftime.

The third quarter saw a significant shift in momentum under the rim. Phạm Đức Kiên, who had been key in the earlier stages, was forced to sit out after picking up his third personal foul.

Nguyễn Quang Huy stepped in, but the absence of their primary defender allowed the home team to shift gears. Despite the Catfish's efforts to slow the game and avoid turnovers, they found themselves trailing 67-63.

In the final quarter, the Buffaloes’ bench came up big. Lian Ramiro and Trần Phi Hoàng Long contributed a crucial 15 points. On the other end, Dương Đức Trí and Albert Bordeos Opeña responded with a combined 17 points, keeping the match within reach.

With just 10 seconds left and the Buffaloes leading 94-92, Cantho tried to stop the clock through fouls. But Tamyrik Fields calmly sank both free throws to seal the win.

Fields, who dominated the paint throughout the game, earned Player of the Game honours with an impressive 37 points and 19 rebounds.

“Winning such a big match at the top of the standings feels incredible,” Fields said. “We have many players who can shine, and we’ve proven our strength across the league. Since last year, our coach has been planning for an undefeated regular season, and we will continue working towards that goal.”

The Buffaloes once again demonstrated why they are considered strong title contenders, balancing teamwork with individual brilliance. Meanwhile, despite being limited to just seven players, the Catfish showed their pedigree as last season’s runners-up, pushing the home team to the final seconds. Their setback in the paint following Phạm Đức Kiên’s foul trouble proved costly in an otherwise resilient performance.

With this result, the league table remains unchanged: the Hanoi Buffaloes lead with 11 wins, while the Catfish sit second with a 7-4 record. VNS