Highlights VBA 2023: Vietnamese players shine, Saigon Heat makes impressive comeback
In the opening match of the semi-finals, Thang Long Warriors will play at home and welcome Saigon Heat. This is the first time in history that the two "red halves" of basketball in the capital and Ho Chi Minh City have met in the semi-finals. In the last 3 meetings of this season, the head-to-head record favors Saigon Heat with 2 wins. In addition to the No. 1 position, the current VBA champion of the last 3 seasons is also considered the "upper hand" with the return of domestic star Vo Kim Ban.
In the end, Saigon Heat once again "sorrowed" Thang Long Warriors when they came back to win 89-79. Kentrell Barkley received the Player of the Game title with 35 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. Vo Kim Ban was also the hero of the match, scoring 20 points, mostly from 3-pointers with an impressive efficiency of 45% (5/11).
Vietnamese player Vo Kim Ban (11) contributed greatly to help Saigon Heat reverse the score against Thang Long Warriors.
On the Thang Long Warriors side, star Sameen Swint led the way with 31 points. Center John Fields also had 24 points and 19 rebounds. However, in a well-monitored evening, the 2.06 m tall pillar missed many scoring opportunities when shooting free throws with an efficiency of less than 50% (4/13).
"The difference between the group stage and the semi-finals is that this is where the best teams gather. In this round, anything can happen. We have trained tirelessly and know what to do, when. With this victory, we are confident that we will achieve what we want when we return to home ground in the next match," Kentrell Barkley shared.
The semi-finals will be played in a best-of-three format, with the team that wins two games first advancing. Therefore, after this smooth start, if Saigon Heat continues to overcome Thang Long Warriors in the upcoming second match, they will have their fourth consecutive appearance in the VBA finals.
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