Heading into the rematch, Cantho Catfish has made a significant addition to their roster. The team has just acquired Darkhanbayar Belguundariya. With this Mongolian forward, coach Phan Thanh Canh will have more strength in the paint area. Both teams maintain the same starting lineups as in their first encounter two days ago.
In the first quarter, the home team defended effectively while executing fluid ball control and optimizing their offensive plays. Coupled with good plays by Karachi Edo near the basket and the energetic performance of Nguyen Toan Anh, the "Han River Dragons" at one point took a 14-point lead. In response, Albert Bordeos Opena and rookie Darkhanbayar Belguundariya took turns scoring to narrow the gap to 16-21.
In the second quarter, scoring threat Corey Raley-Ross (Corey Anthony Raley Ross) began to unleash his full potential to give the visiting team an advantage. Thanks to the efforts of the 1.89m tall guard and the fresh impetus from Nguyen Van Gia Huy, the "Catfish" quickly leveled the score. With the quick integration of Darkhanbayar Belguundariya, the visiting team reversed the situation to 48-40.
In the third quarter, possessing a deeper squad, the visiting team maintained a moderate pace and steadily built their lead, approaching 20 points. Conversely, in the third minute, the home team found themselves in a difficult situation when Nguyen Toan Anh was disqualified for committing too many technical fouls. Without their key player, the remaining key players and substitutes united to maintain control of the game, leading 55-68.
Entering the final quarter, the home team tightened their defense and sought to minimize their deficit with quick counter-attacks. The tenacious efforts of the trio Phan Trọng Tài, Lee Youngung, and Yousef Albabeish heated up the Military Zone 5 gymnasium, at one point narrowing the gap to just 3 points, 71-74.
Despite closing the gap on the visiting team, this was the final mark for the "Han River Dragons". After a timeout and adjustments from coach Phan Thanh Canh, followed by a brilliant performance from Dau Trung Kien, the visiting team regained control of the game and finished 83-76.
Darkhanbayar Belguundariya, a quality rookie for Cantho Catfish, was awarded Player of the Game (POTG) with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists.
“This was my first match in Vietnam and I'm happy to have won and achieved this title. The whole team remained calm in the face of the difficulties created by the home team. However, my teammates and I need to practice more to increase our cohesion and understanding,” Darkhanbayar Belguundariya shared.
Similar to their first encounter, the Danang Dragons continued to trouble the Cantho Catfish. However, the disparity between their starting and reserve players made it difficult for the Danang team to maintain consistency. Despite the loss, the "Han River Dragons" had an impressive highlight from Phan Trong Tai with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals. On the other side, in addition to their usual offensive players, Dau Trung Kien also played a key role with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/vba-2026-cantho-catfish-vuot-qua-danang-dragons-post969016.html
