The Buffaloes (in white) won a hard-fought victory over the Dragons in a match that went into three overtime periods. Photo courtesy of VBA

by Xuân Đăng 

ĐÀ NẴNG — Despite missing a key player and being dragged into triple overtime, the Hanoi Buffaloes staged an extraordinary comeback to defeat the Danang Dragons 132-121 in a tense clash at Military Zone 5 Gymnasium.

The Buffaloes were constantly pushed to their limits in their second away game in Đà Nẵng this season. Both teams retained their starting line-ups from their previous game just two days earlier.

However, the Dragons looked more organised this time around, rotating the ball-handling duties between import Timothy Simmons and reserve guard Hoàng Tú. With efficient three-point shooting, particularly from Mongolian import Ganbat Chinbold, the home side edged ahead 27-24 after the first quarter.

Drama unfolded early in the second quarter as Buffalo star Tamyrik Fields was ejected less than two minutes in for an unsportsmanlike foul on youngster Trương Văn Đại. Capitalising on their opponent’s setback, the Dragons surged to a 15-point lead, 53-38, heading into halftime.

Returning from the break, the Buffaloes placed defensive responsibilities under the rim on 1.86m forward Trần Minh Hiếu. However, the defensive reshuffle left vulnerabilities, allowing multi-skilled forwards Karachi Edo and Huỳnh Andre Minh Triết to stretch the Dragons’ lead to 85-68 by the end of the third.

The fourth quarter saw the tide begin to turn. The Buffaloes connected on four consecutive three-pointers, narrowing the gap to just five points. In the ninth minute, the Dragons’ Timothy Simmons fouled out, a major blow to their rhythm and defensive stability.

With just over 30 seconds left, Taishaun Johnson broke through on a fast break to tie the score 96-96, forcing the game into overtime.

In the first overtime, Huỳnh Thanh Tâm provided a spark for the Dragons, lifting them to a 104-100 advantage. Yet, after Ganbat Chinbold missed a crucial layup to seal the win in the last five seconds, the Buffaloes clawed back again thanks to the mid-range shot of Hassan, tying the score 104-104.

The second overtime brought more drama as the home side, looking fatigued, found unexpected support from Lâm Minh Duy and Lê Hoàng Quân, whose timely three-pointers kept the Dragons afloat at 114-114.

However, the third extra period proved too much for the depleted Đà Nẵng squad. Huỳnh Thanh Tâm became the second starter to foul out, leaving the Dragons without their primary ball-handlers.

In contrast, the Buffaloes’ system remained fluid under head coach Matt Van Pelt, with Johnson and Hassan Thomas orchestrating plays. As fatigue set in on the home side, the Buffaloes pulled away to claim a remarkable 132-121 win.

Star guard Taishaun Johnson, who played a staggering 52 minutes, was named Player of the Game after scoring 49 points, nine rebounds, and steering his team through adversity. “It feels amazing to win in the end. Everyone fought hard — even our bench players stepped up. Tamyrik Fields is a vital part of our team, and we pulled together to cover for him. I have great respect for the Danang Dragons — they challenged our limits at every moment,” Johnson said post-match.

On the other side, Karachi Edo (30 points) and Ganbat Chinbold (27 points) led the charge for the Dragons, while Hoàng Tú contributed 14 points off the bench. Despite the defeat, head coach Hoàng Thế Vinh’s side earned applause from the home crowd for their tenacity and heart, although a true closer was missing in the decisive moments. — VNS