The third quarterfinal will be a clash between two newcomer teams. Both making their debut at the VnExpress Youth Basketball Tournament 2025 - Ziaja Cup, Alpha and Vinschool The Harmony have drawn attention with their dynamic scoring battles at the Warzone Pick & Hoops arena, within groups C and D.
Alpha began their campaign with a 38-24 victory over FPT Tay Ha Noi, showcasing tight defense and effective fast breaks. They then secured a decisive 43-23 win against Chuyen Ha Noi - Amsterdam. The team is led by captain Pham Gia Anh Vu, the champion of the NYCC 2025 National Youth Clubs Cup, who is central to both their offense and controlling the game's pace.
As the U18 Vietnam Student Basketball League champions, Vinschool The Harmony staged an impressive comeback against Ngoi Sao Hoang Mai, turning a 5-10 deficit into a 26-21 final victory. They then went on to defeat Le Quy Don - Dong Da with a score of 31-20.
This match is expected to be a test of stamina and speed between the two young teams. The pace-setting ability of Anh Vu for Alpha and the explosiveness of the duo Do The Binh and Tran Luu Tuong Minh for Harmony could determine the outcome. The winner of this match will face either Nguyen Tat Thanh or Ly Thai To.
The VnExpress Youth Basketball Tournament 2025 - Ziaja Cup is organized by VnExpress Newspaper and FPT Online Services Joint Stock Company (FPT Online), with professional oversight from the Vietnam Basketball Federation. The tournament is part of the national project "Developing School Basketball by 2030".
The group stage began on 31/10, featuring 36 teams from high schools across Hanoi. This included 24 boys' teams divided into 8 groups and 12 girls' teams divided into four groups. Teams competed in a single round-robin format, with the top team from each group advancing to the quarterfinals (boys' division) and semifinals (girls' division).
The tournament is sponsored by Polish pharmaceutical and cosmetic brand Ziaja, distributed in Vietnam by Bac Ninh Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company and European Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Group (EUPC).
Lan Anh
