Before the "derby" between the two Vinschool system schools, The Harmony faced a significant disadvantage, traveling south with a depleted squad, registering only 9 players. Despite this, they entered the game with high concentration.

The first quarter began cautiously, with initial points primarily from probing long-range shots. A surprise unfolded as The Harmony capitalized on two quick counterattacks, scoring 4 consecutive points to take an 8-3 lead. Meanwhile, home team star Nguyen Hoang Minh Khang was constantly surrounded whenever he touched the ball.

A Vinschool Central Park player drives to the basket. Photo: Thanh Tung

However, the resilience of the TP HCM champions quickly emerged. Minh Khang aggressively drove to draw fouls, successfully converting two free throws to narrow the score to 5-8. Building on this momentum, Nguyen Khoi calmly sank a 3-pointer, giving Vinschool Central Park a 9-8 lead. Despite Tri Dung's efforts for The Harmony with a long-range shot to equalize, the first quarter concluded with the home team leading 13-11.

In the second quarter, the game shifted. Reduced stamina due to limited personnel led The Harmony to make repeated errors. Vinschool Central Park capitalized on this, punishing their opponents with swift transition plays. Hanoi's offense was largely stifled, allowing the home team to extend their lead to 23-11 before halftime.

The third quarter continued to see a surge from the TP HCM representative. The visiting team's hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed when Viet Thanh shone brightly with a streak of 7 consecutive points at the start of the quarter, extending the score to 30-11.

A Vinschool The Harmony player attempts an attack against the home team's defense. Photo: Thanh Tung

Central Park's full-court press defense stifled all of their opponent's offensive options. On offense, while not scoring many points himself, Minh Khang's presence acted as a magnet, drawing the entire attention of The Harmony's defense and creating wide-open spaces for his teammates to score.

Entering the final quarter with a lead of over 20 points, Vinschool Central Park's coach proactively rested Minh Khang. Nevertheless, the game's dynamic on the court remained largely unchanged.

Vinschool Central Park celebrates their victory. Photo: Thanh Tung

With their backs against the wall, The Harmony's star The Binh scored 7 consecutive personal points, salvaging some hope for the visiting team. However, this solitary effort was insufficient to penetrate the solid defense of the southern representative. In the final seconds, Viet Thanh scored the decisive points with a 3-pointer, sealing a 54-37 victory for the home team.

The final whistle blew, and Vinschool Central Park erupted in celebration. Earlier, the school's women's team had defeated Phan Dinh Phung High School (Hanoi) to win the Women's Super Cup. Thus, the VnExpress Youth Basketball Tournament 2026 - Ziaja Cup became Vinschool Central Park's exclusive arena. The school's basketball team's excellence secured the title for TP HCM for the first time, after Hanoi teams had won it in last year's friendly season.

Watch the match highlights here.

Tu Vu

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, and is part of the national project "Developing School Basketball by 2030".