After two consecutive defeats against Hanoi Buffaloes, Nha Trang Dolphins entered the game full of determination in the rematch with Saigon Heat. The home team soon created a difference when taking advantage of the time the opponent operated the new squad ineffectively to take the lead.
In the opening round, coach Todd Purves' students continuously scored points and at times created a gap of up to 18 points. However, that advantage was not maintained for long when Saigon Heat accelerated strongly in the 2nd round.
Taking advantage of the foreign player force, the away team tightened their defense and organized effective counter-attacks to reverse the situation. However, Huynh Vinh Quang's 3-point shot in the last seconds of the quarter helped Nha Trang Dolphins maintain a 45-45 draw before the break.
Stepping into the 3rd quarter, Saigon Heat continued to exploit the area under the basket and took the lead 65-57. In a context of many difficulties, the home team still did not give up.
At the beginning of the final quarter, Cleveland Jackson and the duo Huynh Vinh Quang - Nguyen Dang Khoa created a series of 11 consecutive points, helping Nha Trang Dolphins regain the advantage. The two teams then continuously exchanged blows in a tense match.
The turning point came when the match was only more than 2 minutes away. Cleveland Jackson successfully completed an important 3-point shot to put Nha Trang Dolphins ahead 79-72. Although Saigon Heat tried to narrow the gap in the final minutes, the away team did not have enough time to complete the comeback and accepted a 82-85 defeat.
With a remarkable performance including 27 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists, Cleveland Jackson was voted the Man of the Match.
This victory helps Nha Trang Dolphins relieve pressure after a series of consecutive defeats at the beginning of the season. Besides the brilliance of Cleveland Jackson, players such as Nasanbat Munkhchudur, Huynh Vinh Quang and Nguyen Duong Quang Anh also left many marks on the day the coastal city team had their first joy at VBA 2026.
Full VBA 2026 season on FPT Play.
