Saigon Heat opened VBA 2022 unfavorably when they lost to Nha Trang Dolphins in the opening match. In the next match against Hanoi Buffaloes, the team “Mr. 30” continued to worry fans with only… 7 points in the first half. However, in the last half, coach Matt Van Pelt’s teachers and students shocked when they scored 27 points. This spectacular comeback helped the defending champion come back to win an unbelievable victory with a score of 77-64.
Tim Waale (black shirt) and Saigon Heat affirm their level at VBA 2022
After this victory, Saigon Heat regained its level and continuously sublimated with a series of 7 consecutive wins. The longest unbeaten series in VBA 2022 is the premise to help Saigon Heat topped the rankings in the sprint weeks and enter the semi-finals with the top position. In the series of semi-finals, Saigon Heat met the representative of the city, Ho Chi Minh City Wings. With a record of never losing against an opponent in the previous group stage, Saigon Heat quickly closed the first semi-final matchup with an overwhelming score of 2-0 to go straight to the final series.
VBA finals play up to 5 matches, the team that wins 3 first will win the championship. In the first time Saigon Heat was crowned champion in the 2019 VBA season, the “Mr. 30” team had to take 5 matches to claim the king. At the second time being crowned in VBA 2020, Saigon Heat also needed 4 matches to defeat Thang Long Warriors with a score of 3-1. But by VBA 2022, the team “Mr 30” has for the first time “solved” the opponent Hanoi Buffaloes with a score of “knock-out” 3-0.
Madarious Gibbs (right) is the best player of the VBA 2022 final series
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The efforts of Saigon Heat’s excellent players were recognized at the VBA Award 2022 by prestigious nominations and awards. In which, Dinh Khai Tam (Tim Waale) was the most outstanding player when he scored a double to receive the award for the progressive athlete of the year and the ball of the year. Khai Tam’s teammate Du Minh An also received a double nomination in the two categories of internal soldier of the year and reserve athlete of the year.
Khoa Tran (right) is a timely addition of Saigon Heat at the end of VBA 2022
The foreign duo of Saigon Heat was also honored in many contents. In particular, defender Madarious Gibbs was honored in the passing phase of the year and had 2 nominations in the categories of sportsmanship and late-time pitch of the year. About Alonzo Stafford, the striker of Saigon Heat owns the dunk award of the year and received two nominations for outstanding defensive athlete of the year and excellent athlete of the year. Khoa Tran, a Vietnamese-born player who was present in time to replace William Tran, also received a nomination for the most favorite athlete of the year award.
Bringing Saigon Heat to the championship in the first official army, coach Matt Van Pelt also received a nomination for Coach of the Year. In particular, VBA 2022 is the first time that passionate fans of Saigon Heat have won the fan club of the year award.
