Hanoi Buffaloes — Saigon Heat: 82:88, VBA

Saigon Heat defeated Hanoi Buffaloes 88 to 82 in a VBA fixture at the weekend. The visitors moved closer to the summit while the hosts suffered only their second loss of the campaign. And here's the thing — the result matters more than the table position at this stage.

Hanoi had been unbeaten in thirteen league matches, winning thirteen of fourteen outings. Saigon arrived having lost three of twelve, though they'd beaten the Buffaloes twice earlier in the season. To be fair, the visitors carried confidence from those earlier encounters.

We had given the home side a 60 per cent chance of victory. The forecast didn't materialise, and by then the game had already turned on moments the bookmakers wouldn't have priced in. The table goes out of the window in these games, as they say.

Statistically, the match told a straightforward story. Hanoi finished with 82 points across 14 games played, while Saigon reached 88 after 12 fixtures. The difference in games doesn't tell the full picture — one team had nothing to do all evening in comparison, while the other fought for every possession.

For Hanoi, the loss leaves them top of the VBA table with 13 wins and one defeat. Saigon sit second with nine victories and three losses, closing the gap to four games. The visitors now fancy their chances of catching up, and the tie is effectively in their own hands.