Right in this encounter, Danang Dragons had a notable change in force when they parted ways with foreign player Lee Youngung and added defender Brandon Wood. Meanwhile, Hanoi Buffaloes kept the same squad that helped the team maintain stable form in the past time.
The home team entered the game excitedly. The duo Mai Phuoc Thinh and Dinh Toan Quoc continuously scored points from the area near the basket and outside the 3-point box, helping Danang Dragons at one point create a gap of up to 13 points. With 4 successful 3-pointers in the first round, coach Hoang The Vinh's team temporarily led 30-26.
In the 2nd round, although Brandon Wood did not leave much of an impression, Danang Dragons still maintained the advantage thanks to their effective long-range throwing ability. On Hanoi Buffaloes' side, Tam Dinh continuously responded with 3 accurate 3-point shots, helping the away team narrow the gap to 50-58 after two rounds.
The 3rd quarter witnessed the breakthrough of AJ Bramah. The American star continuously scored points to help Hanoi Buffaloes approach. However, Danang Dragons still maintained a fragile 80-76 advantage before the decisive quarter thanks to the brilliance of young domestic players Phan Trong Tai, Truong Van Dai and Lam Minh Duy.
The turning point came in the final round. In the 6th minute, AJ Bramah scored under the net, helping Hanoi Buffaloes take the lead for the first time 90-89. The two teams then created an exciting chase with a difference of no more than 4 points. Nguyen Toan Anh shined for Danang Dragons with free throws and a 3-point shot from a narrow angle, while AJ Bramah continued to be the leader on the visiting team's side.
When the match was only more than 10 seconds away and Hanoi Buffaloes were leading 98-97, Amir Gholizadeh became the hero with a decisive tackle from Karachi Edo before accelerating to score points, sealing a 100-97 victory for the Capital team.
AJ Bramah was voted Player of the Match (POTG) with a triple-double of 40 points, 13 rebounds and 10 times forcing the opponent to foul.
Despite the defeat, Danang Dragons still left many positive signals when the young players played with determination, taking the lead for most of the time and at times creating a 13-point gap. Meanwhile, Hanoi Buffaloes once again showed the bravery of the defending champion when taking advantage of opportunities at the decisive moment to complete the comeback.
With this result, Hanoi Buffaloes continues to lead the VBA rankings with 9 wins, while Danang Dragons is still ranked 6th after 7 defeats.
Full VBA 2026 season on FPT Play.
