Entering the home match, Nha Trang Dolphins suffered a loss in force when they did not register foreign player Makhel Mitchell in the match list. Meanwhile, Saigon Heat traveled to Khanh Hoa with the strongest squad under the guidance of coach Vu The Cang.
Right from the first round, the home team took advantage of the field advantage to impose the game. Speed breakthroughs and effective long-range throwing ability helped Nha Trang Dolphins soon create a gap. The coastal city team had 4 successful 3-point shots in the first round, of which Le Khac Dang Khoa contributed 2 situations. In contrast, Saigon Heat was completely unlucky in off-ball throws, closing the round with a gap of 10 points, score 16-26.
In the 2nd round, Nha Trang Dolphins continued to maintain a favorable game. Despite the absence of some important factors, the home team still controlled well the area under the basket and continuously increased the gap. It was not until the 7th minute that Huynh Truc Nhan helped Saigon Heat have their first successful 3-point shot. At the end of the round, the Ho Chi Minh City representative was still behind 32-44.
After the break, Saigon Heat gradually regained their pace of play. The away team significantly improved their attacking efficiency, especially off-the-ball finishes. These efforts helped them narrow the gap to 53-60 after the 3rd quarter.
Entering the decisive quarter, the advantage in squad depth began to take effect. Saigon Heat continuously increased the pressure and by the 7th minute for the first time took the lead 72-69 thanks to Huynh Truc Nhan's scoring. From that moment on, the team that has been VBA champion many times completely controlled the game.
On Nha Trang Dolphins' side, defender Cleveland Jackson tried to keep hope for the home team but it was not enough to stop the opponent's excitement. In the end, Saigon Heat completed the comeback with a 87-78 victory.
Huynh Truc Nhan became the best player of the match when he scored 17 points, made 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Saigon Heat's domestic player played an important role in the away team's acceleration in the final minutes.
This victory shows Saigon Heat's bravery when they were behind for most of the match time but still persistently chased to reverse the situation. Meanwhile, Nha Trang Dolphins had a favorable start and once created a gap of up to 16 points, but the lack of force, especially the absence of Makhel Mitchell and Azzaya Batkhuyag, made the home team unable to preserve the advantage.
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