Basketball Mascot's in Vietnam can DANCE!

On the weekend we got to watch the last game of the basketball season in Vietnam. Vietnam is proudly represented in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) by their one and only pro basketball team, Saigon Heat. Blatantly ripped off name from the Miami Heat's, I do have to give them some originality to their name...It's excruciatingly hot in Saigon. And I bet the temperature of an average day here generates much more "heat" then the hottest day in Miami! (Yep... I give credit to anyone who trains in this heat lol). The team is quite international with players from the Phillipines, USA and Vietnam. I do wonder how much grief the international players get over their team name when they tell their friends and families back home.

The ABL, founded in 2009 is relatively new and consists of 7 competitive teams (as below) with only 4 seasons under their belt they've been able to attract large crowds to their games. Unfortunately Vietnam didn't make it to this year's play offs.

ASEAN Basketball League consists of these countries.

As fun as it is to watch the game I find everything else about live games quite entertaining, especially here at the Tan Binh Stadium. It's no Madison Square Garden, but the audience is enthusiastic, loud and energetic. They (including I) clap our complimentary bright red thunder sticks and stomp our feet. Good plays and passes receive standing ovations with loud cheers and clapping. "D-fence" is repeatedly chanted loudly and the fans and cheer leaders aren't shy to distract the visiting team's free throw line ups. They aren't short on creative timeout crowd games or throwing giveaways into the audience either, sling shot and all. Enthusiastic cheer leaders and dancing mascots execute their roles well as the resident DJ spins modern dance tunes. One thing missing though is the Mexican Wave, too bad the season is over, otherwise I'd be on a mission to start one. I think the basketball audience here would love and adopt it straight away!

Check out the two video's from half time and our pic with the MVP of the game.

Larry Tieu, Vietnamese born in California, played college basketball before going pro in Saigon.