DaQuan Bracey of the Buffaloes (in white) drives to the basket against Catfish during their 89-73 victory at Tân Bình Gymnasium. — Photo courtesy of VBA

HCM CITY — Hà Nội Buffaloes completed a 3-0 sweep over Cần Thơ Catfish in the regular season after an 89-73 victory at Tân Bình Gymnasium.

Both sides had already secured play-off places, but the game carried weight for their positioning. Catfish aimed to improve their standing while the Buffaloes sought to extend their unbeaten momentum ahead of the knock-out stage.

Without playmaker Dajuan Madden, the Catfish again struggled to build their offensive rhythm. They relied heavily on centre Malek Green’s drives and Michael Soy’s free throws. Meanwhile, the Buffaloes raced ahead 30-16 in the opening quarter, powered by the energy of guard Trần Phi Hoàng Long.

In the second quarter, Buffaloes rotated their line-up extensively, allowing Catfish to narrow the gap to 10 points at one stage, thanks to Nguyễn Đăng Khoa’s effort. However, their inability to penetrate the paint left them trailing 49-30 at half-time.

The Catfish showed sparks of resurgence after the break, with Albert Bordeos Opeña’s drives and Dương Đức Trí’s three-pointers. But their momentum was stalled by Buffaloes’ strong bench contribution from Lian Ramiro, Trần Minh Hiếu and Jimmy Nguyễn. Despite hitting three consecutive triples late in the quarter, the Catfish still trailed 72-57.

The home side again cut the deficit to 74-67 early in the fourth quarter. Yet the speed of DaQuan Bracey and Nguyễn Huy Hoàng’s steals and assists restored Buffaloes’ dominance. Unable to respond, the home side Catfish conceded defeat 89-73.

Bracey, who scored 25 points with three steals and two assists, was named Player of the Game. “The right guidance from our coach and the trust within the team are key to our unbeaten run so far. We are working every day towards the ultimate goal and preparing for the tough play-offs ahead,” he said.

As usual, coach Matt Van Pelt ensured all his players contributed to the Buffaloes’ victory. Catfish coach Phan Thanh Cảnh relied on his reserves, but the absence of a floor general and a Vietnamese-heritage player limited their options.

The standings remain unchanged with the result. The Catfish (10-7) hold third place, while the Buffaloes (16-0) stay top. VNS