Hanoi Buffaloes vs Can Tho Catfish

Hanoi set the tone from the opening tip. The Buffaloes sprinted to an early lead behind their high-tempo offense, moving the ball quickly to find open shooters on the perimeter. By the end of the first quarter, the home side had established a working margin that forced the Catfish to chase the game for the remaining 30 minutes.

Can Tho showed resilience in the second quarter, trimming the gap with stretches of composed half-court offense. But every time the Catfish closed within single digits, Hanoi responded with a burst — typically from beyond the arc or in transition off a defensive rebound.

The Buffaloes pulled away decisively in the third quarter, outscoring the visitors by a significant margin. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the lead was too large for Can Tho to overcome, even as they continued to compete until the final buzzer.

Hanoi's third-quarter surge was the decisive phase. After Can Tho had kept the deficit manageable at half-time, the Buffaloes opened the second half with a 12-2 run that pushed the lead past 20 points. The Catfish never recovered, and the home side cruised through the final period.

AJ Bramah was the standout for Hanoi Buffaloes, serving as the engine on both ends of the floor. The import forward's all-around game — scoring, rebounding and facilitating — made him the clear difference-maker. He finished as the Player of the Game.

Lian Ramiro provided valuable perimeter shooting, knocking down multiple three-pointers during the critical first-half surge, while Amir Gholizadeh added energy off the bench with timely scoring and defensive stops.

For Can Tho Catfish, Corey Raley-Ross led the scoring effort with consistent drives to the basket, and Darkhanbayar Belguundariya (known as Ben Gundaria) had a strong night in the paint, though their combined output was not enough to offset Hanoi's depth.

Hanoi Buffaloes' 109 points is above their season average of 100.6 per game, a sign they found their offensive rhythm early. The 94 points conceded is slightly above their season defensive average of 85.4, reflecting Can Tho's fight even in a losing cause.

Can Tho Catfish, who average 82.1 points per game, were held relatively close to that mark — but their bigger problem was an inability to get stops. The Buffaloes have now scored 100+ points in 10 of their 18 regular-season games, a testament to the league's most potent offense.

Hanoi Buffaloes finish the regular season with a 17-1 record and enter the VBA playoffs as the No. 1 seed, riding a four-game winning streak. They will face the fourth-placed team in the semi-finals, with their next fixture scheduled for the playoffs.

Can Tho Catfish drop to 7-11 and finish fifth in the six-team league. They have lost three consecutive games heading into the postseason. The Catfish's next game is against Ho Chi Minh City Wings on 27 August 2026, a match that will determine their playoff seeding.

Hanoi Buffaloes were superior in every phase — deeper, faster and more disciplined. Can Tho Catfish competed but lacked the defensive structure to contain a Buffaloes team that has now won seven straight head-to-head meetings dating back to 2024. The defending champions look well primed for a title defence.