In game 1, coach Erik Rashad of Hanoi Buffaloes used Pham Duc Kien, Dinh Toan Quoc, and Caleb Nguyen to replace Ruot Monyyong.
Despite their efforts, these players, who are nearly 2 meters tall, had a hard time keeping up with the Nha Trang Dolphins' star duo of Dominique Tham and Mykal Jenkins. They were overwhelmed in the area near the basket, but thanks to 3 3-pointers from Jimmy Nguyen, the "Capital Buffaloes" were able to shorten the gap to 21-28.
In game 2, Nha Trang Dolphins continued to dominate. The dominance in the close-range ball competition, plus 5 3-pointers, mostly from Huynh Vinh Quang, helped "Ut Phins" increase the gap day by day.
On the other side of the front line, Hassan Thomas played the main role. However, despite maintaining efficiency in both the inside and outside lines, this star and the "Capital Buffaloes" were still left behind by the away team by nearly 20 points, 40-59.
In the third quarter, after the break, Hanoi Buffaloes were still deadlocked with a double-digit lead. In the 5th minute, Dominique Tham was temporarily taken off the field due to his 4th personal foul. Taking advantage of this opportunity, coach Erik Rashad sent many substitutes onto the field to try to rise up.
However, this effort was repeatedly nullified by the brilliance of Huynh Vinh Quang. The timely response of the hero helped Nha Trang Dolphins maintain the victory 79-56.
In the deciding half, Nha Trang Dolphins proactively slowed down the pace to preserve their lead of around 20 points. In the 6th minute, coach Chris Daleo carefully brought Dominique Tham back onto the field.
The return of this Vietnamese-American star helped "Ut Phins" reach the finish line safely. With no way to change the situation at Tay Ho Stadium, coach Erik Rashad and his team had to accept a 72-100 defeat.
With this result, Hanoi Buffaloes (12 wins, 6 losses) continue to rank 2nd, while Nha Trang Dolphins (10 wins, 9 losses) rank 4th.
Hanoi Buffaloes have run out of chances to compete for the top spot, while Nha Trang Dolphins continue to hold out hope of finishing in third place.
