Nyang Wek (#2) shines on debut as the Saigon Heat defeat the Danang Dragons. — Photo courtesy of VBA

HCM CITY — Nyang Wek made an encouraging debut as the Saigon Heat secured a convincing 77-65 victory over the Danang Dragons, maintaining their unbeaten home record and strengthening their hold on second place in the VBA standings.

The home team made a key change to their roster ahead of the third meeting between the two sides, replacing import centre Jalon Andrews with Nyang Wek. Tim Waale and Brandis Raley-Ross returned to the starting line-up, while the Dragons brought Mai Phước Thịnh in for Sơn Minh Tâm.

The Heat settled quickly and established an early advantage in the opening quarter. Wek entered the game midway through the period, but a spell of inaccurate perimeter shooting allowed the Dragons to reduce the deficit to 18-14 by the end of the first quarter.

The new import began to make his presence felt in the second period, controlling the paint area and finishing strongly around the basket. The Dragons, however, stayed within touching distance thanks to reserve forward Đinh Toàn Quốc, whose pair of three-pointers helped cut the gap to 38-31 at half-time.

The visitors continued to frustrate the defending champions after the break with disciplined defence, limiting the influence of Jamal Mayali and the Heat's other scoring threats. Head coach Hoàng Thế Vinh also injected fresh energy through guard Nguyễn Đại Hiệp, whose lively display helped the Dragons trail by only seven points, 58-51, heading into the final quarter.

The Heat finally pulled away in the closing period as Brandis Raley-Ross took control of the offence. The veteran guard's composed scoring and playmaking, combined with contributions from his team-mates, stretched the lead to 16 points. Although the Dragons fought until the final buzzer, they were unable to mount a comeback as the Heat closed out a comfortable 77-65 victory.

Raley-Ross was named Player of the Game after producing 30 points, three assists and a perfect 11-for-11 performance from the free-throw line.

"Danang are still looking for their first win this season, so we knew they would come out with great determination," Raley-Ross said after the game. "We were well prepared and achieved what we set out to do. We'll review this game and continue improving ahead of our next meeting. As for Nyang Wek, he did his job well tonight and will only get better as he becomes more familiar with our system."

Wek finished his debut with six points and 12 rebounds, including four offensive boards, providing the Heat with a much-needed presence in the paint. His rebounding ability is expected to strengthen the team's interior play as the season progresses.

The victory leaves the Saigon Heat second in the VBA standings with an 8-3 record, while the Danang Dragons remain bottom of the table after suffering their ninth consecutive defeat.

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