The Catfish outlasted the Ho Chi Minh City Wings to keep their playoff hopes alive. Photo courtesy of VBA

Xuân Đăng

HCM CITY — The Cantho Catfish outlasted the Ho Chi Minh City Wings 100-95 after two overtime periods in one of the most dramatic games of the 2026 VBA season, keeping their playoff hopes alive with a hard-fought home victory.

The match was held on Saturday (July 4) at Hồ Xuân Hương Gymnasium, home court of the Catfish.

Needing a win to close the gap on the top four, the hosts also handed a debut to Phạm Hiền Tài after replacing Nguyễn Thanh Tùng in their domestic roster. Both teams otherwise stuck with the same starting line-ups used in their meeting two days earlier.

The Catfish made a flying start, protecting the paint effectively while finding their shooting rhythm at the other end. Mongolian forward Darkhanbayar Belguundariya led the charge with five three-pointers as the Catfish surged to a 28-18 lead after the opening quarter.

The hosts maintained their momentum in the second period, with their energetic bench preserving the advantage. New signing Hiền Tài made a positive contribution, while the City Wings relied heavily on leading scorer Dakota Zinser. However, the visitors were unable to make significant inroads into the deficit as Cantho took a 47-38 lead into half-time.

The momentum shifted in the third quarter when Cantho centre Aula Maarufu Sumbry picked up his fourth personal foul and was forced to the bench. Zinser immediately took advantage, attacking the basket aggressively, while Vietnamese-American guard Nicholas Minh-Anh Courtney provided valuable support as the Wings overturned the deficit to take a 64-60 lead.

Coach Phan Thanh Cảnh brought Sumbry back at the start of the fourth quarter, restoring Cantho's defensive presence inside. The two sides traded baskets throughout a tense finish before Dương Đức Trí missed a late opportunity at the rim that would have sealed victory for the hosts. The game remained deadlocked at 81-81, sending it into the VBA season's first overtime.

The Wings looked in control early in the first extra period after Khoa Trần knocked down two three-pointers. But Huỳnh Thanh Tâm responded with a crucial steal to lift the home crowd, and Belguundariya continued to attack the basket as the Catfish fought back to level the score at 88-88.

The second overtime proved equally intense. With just over 10 seconds remaining, Belguundariya calmly converted two free throws to give the Catfish a 98-95 lead. Albert Bordeos Opeña then secured a vital defensive rebound before sinking two more free throws to complete a memorable 100-95 victory.

Sumbry was named Player of the Game after recording 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

"I feel great about this win. Tonight's result shows how much our team has improved. We will continue building on this unity in the matches ahead," he said.

Despite facing adversity throughout six fiercely contested periods, Cantho's resilience ultimately proved decisive. The victory leaves the standings unchanged, with the Ho Chi Minh City Wings remaining third on a 4-4 record, while the Catfish stay fifth with a 3-7 record.

All VBA matches will be broadcast live on FPT Play, the league's exclusive production and broadcasting partner under a five-season agreement running from 2026 to 2030. — VNS