Saigon Heat’s Jamal Mayali drives to the basket past the defence of Hanoi Buffaloes. — Photo courtesy of VBA

Xuân Đăng

HCM CITY — The Saigon Heat moved closer to the VBA championship after a convincing 99–74 victory over defending champions Hanoi Buffaloes at the MLC Arena on Tuesday (September 22).

In their second meeting of the best-of-five VBA Finals series, the Heat entered the game with a double advantage, having taken a 1–0 lead in the series and playing in front of their home crowd.

The HCM City side kept the same starting line-up, while the visitors made one change, with Đinh Tiến Công promoted to the starting five in place of Nguyễn Huy Hoàng.

The opening quarter was a tense affair as both sides tightened their defence around the paint. Frequent battles for possession forced the two teams to rely heavily on shots from distance, resulting in a slow-scoring start.

Two powerful dunks by Nyang Wek and a three-pointer from substitute Huỳnh Trực Nhân helped the hosts take a 19–13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Buffaloes improved offensively in the second quarter, with their bench players providing an important boost. AJ Bramah and the visitors' key players took advantage of the momentum to cut the deficit to just two points at 32–30.

The Heat responded through scoring star Jamal Mayali, who produced four successful shots, including three three-pointers, to restore control and put the hosts ahead 45–32 before the break.

The half-time statistics highlighted the Heat’s superiority in shooting efficiency. The hosts were shooting 51 per cent from the field, compared with just 27 per cent for the Buffaloes, while their three-point accuracy was also significantly higher at 41 per cent against 15 per cent.

The third quarter saw the Buffaloes' leading scorers having to work hard to reduce the gap. At the other end, the trio in the paint Nguyễn Huỳnh Phú Vinh, Nyang Wek and Tim Waale helped the Heat maintain tight control at the both ends of the court.

The hosts extended their advantage to 66–54 by the end of the third quarter, with Huỳnh Trực Nhân adding another long-range shot in the final seconds.

The Heat carried their momentum into the final quarter and stretched the lead beyond 20 points.

With the game slipping away, AJ Bramah and the Buffaloes' key players applied full-court pressure and attacked the paint in an effort to close the gap. However, their attempts were repeatedly thwarted by the experienced play of Brandis Raley-Ross.

The Heat eventually completed a dominant 99–74 victory to take a 2–0 lead in the series.

Jamal Mayali was named Player of the Game after finishing with 25 points and five assists, while shooting 62 per cent from beyond the arc, making five of eight attempts.

“Despite losing every match against them during the regular season, we have great confidence in our own ability. We are now just one win away from the championship. However, there is still a lot of work to do, and the whole team will remain fully focused,” Mayali said.

As in the previous game, the Heat successfully contained the Buffaloes' leading scorers. Their effective defence, combined with impressive shooting from outside the arc, helped the former champions secure another emphatic victory over their rivals.

For the Buffaloes, AJ Bramah remained their main offensive threat, finishing with 31 points.

The two teams will face off again at MLC Arena on Thursday (September 24). This will be the final opportunity for the Buffaloes to narrow the gap before returning to their home court for the remainder of the finals series.

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