Held at field 77 in Phu Dinh ward, the group stage of the VnExpress youth basketball tournament 2025-2026 in Ho Chi Minh City has completed two-thirds of its journey, with 26 matches played from 17-26/4. While groups A and B have already determined their top teams, the standings in groups C and D could still change after the final round of matches on 3-4/5.

A Gia Dinh high school (purple jersey) player on offense during the match against Tri Duc high school. Photo: VYB

Group A quickly saw Tri Duc high school and Gia Dinh high school secure the two quarter-final spots. Tri Duc led the group with three consecutive wins: 30-29 against Thanh Da, 41-17 against Nguyen Khuyen, and 29-24 against Gia Dinh. Gia Dinh placed second with two wins, defeating Nguyen Khuyen 43-32 and Thanh Da 37-14.

Similarly, group B also quickly confirmed Hung Vuong high school and Mac Dinh Chi high school as the two advancing teams. After the first week, Hung Vuong temporarily held the top spot with a 53-28 victory over Tay Thanh, while Mac Dinh Chi followed with a 46-25 win against Le Quy Don.

However, the situation reversed in week two when Mac Dinh Chi defeated Tay Thanh 36-27 and Hung Vuong 36-30, taking the lead. Hung Vuong secured second place after an additional 42-30 win against Le Quy Don.

In contrast to the first two groups, group C remains highly unpredictable after two weeks of play. Nguyen Thi Minh Khai club currently leads with two victories against Hawks club and Hoang Hoa Tham high school. However, they have not yet secured the top spot as they still face Nam Ky Khoi Nghia high school, a team also hoping to advance after defeating Hawks 31-22 last week.

A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia high school player jumps for a shot, surrounded by Hawks club players (green jerseys). Photo: VYB

The unpredictable nature of group C is further amplified by the narrow margins between the trailing teams. Hoang Hoa Tham high school and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia high school both have one win and one loss. Should Nam Ky Khoi Nghia defeat Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Hoang Hoa Tham overcome Hawks, three teams would finish with two wins each. In such a scenario, the first and second rankings would be determined by tie-breaker criteria.

Even without a win after the first two rounds, Hawks can still influence group C's outcome. If they defeat Hoang Hoa Tham in their final match, the competition for the second qualifying spot will become even more complex.

After week two, the top spot in group D appears secured by Vinschool Central Park, which won both its matches, defeating Le Hong Phong 45-23 and Nguyen Cong Tru 64-13. This result gives them a significant advantage in the race for first place.

However, the remaining quarter-final spot in group D is still undecided. After two weeks, Nguyen Cong Tru and Le Hong Phong both have one win and one loss. Nguyen Cong Tru defeated Pham Phu Thu 29-21 but lost to Vinschool Central Park 13-64, while Le Hong Phong lost to Vinschool 23-45 before beating Pham Phu Thu 38-25. Therefore, the direct head-to-head match between these two teams in the final round will likely determine who secures the second qualifying spot.

In the women's category, group E has not yet concluded after two weeks of competition. Vinschool Central Park holds the biggest advantage, having won both its matches against Hoang Hoa Tham and Le Quy Don. Le Quy Don currently ranks second with one win and one loss.

A Tay Thanh high school female student (blue jersey) attempts to break away on offense despite defensive pressure from an opponent. Photo: VYB

Behind these two teams, Nguyen Khuyen and Hoang Hoa Tham still have a chance to compete. Both have played only one match and suffered defeats in their opening rounds. However, with two matches remaining, including a direct encounter between them, these two schools still have the potential to contend for second place.

Women's group F has seen the tournament's most dominant victories to date. Fortis club defeated Tay Thanh high school 64-9 in the first week, then continued to dominate Mac Dinh Chi high school 44-4 in week two. Simultaneously, Bui Thi Xuan high school also beat Mac Dinh Chi 38-16 and Tay Thanh 46-13. Both teams, with two wins each, have secured their semifinal spots, and their upcoming match in the final round will determine the group leader.

The matches on 3 and 4/5 will conclude the group stage of the VnExpress youth basketball tournament 2025-2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, determining the remaining teams that will advance to the men's quarter-finals and women's semi-finals. All information regarding match developments and results will be updated by the organizing committee on the official website and fanpage.

The tournament is organized by VnExpress Newspaper and FPT Online Services Joint Stock Company (FPT Online), under the professional supervision of the Vietnam Basketball Federation. It is also part of the national project, "Developing School Basketball by 2030."

Hai Long