The sweet routine of the finals
Current two-time Brazilian champion, Flamengo will play the NBB 2009-2010 final against Brasília or Minas
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
Flamengo's thrilling 86-85 victory over Franca on Tuesday night will be remembered as another great performance by this red-and-black basketball team. Marcelinho and company sought qualification for the 2009-2010 New Basketball Brazil final with just one second remaining, securing their place in the third consecutive national championship final.
The current two-time Brazilian champion, the Gávea team, is counting on Marcelinho Machado's talent to win another NBB title. Champion of the tournament's first edition, played last season, and also of the last National Championship under the old CBB format, the red-and-black team has its number 4 as its main outlet. He knows and appreciates this.
"The group trusts me, and that gives me the confidence to make these decisions. At halftime, Hélio turned to me and said we were going to win. That was inspiring. But basketball is a team game, and if I put in a good individual performance, it's because the team has a lot of trust in me, and that makes me feel stronger. The team deserves congratulations because they didn't give up and always believed they could win," analyzed Marcelinho, who finished the game as the top scorer with 21 points.
Coach Paulo Chupeta, however, reveals that he felt a little nervous when Marcelinho shot that three-pointer on the red-blacks' last possession of the match.
"I had butterflies in my stomach when he kicked it, and then when Rogério kicked it. But the group trusts Marcelo, I knew he would take responsibility and thankfully everything worked out," he celebrated.
Point guard Hélio, who was one of the standouts in the series against Franca, also celebrated the result and explained that he has no preference for an opponent in the final. According to him, both Minas Gerais and Brasília will be fierce rivals in the fight for the third title.
"We're not going to choose. Whoever comes, it's going to be difficult. But the important thing is that it's a pleasure to play with this team. On the bench, I said we were going to win because I know that everyone here trusts each other and that only strengthens the group. That's why we're a different group," he concluded.
The current two-time Brazilian champion, the Gávea team, is counting on Marcelinho Machado's talent to win another NBB title. Champion of the tournament's first edition, played last season, and also of the last National Championship under the old CBB format, the red-and-black team has its number 4 as its main outlet. He knows and appreciates this.
"The group trusts me, and that gives me the confidence to make these decisions. At halftime, Hélio turned to me and said we were going to win. That was inspiring. But basketball is a team game, and if I put in a good individual performance, it's because the team has a lot of trust in me, and that makes me feel stronger. The team deserves congratulations because they didn't give up and always believed they could win," analyzed Marcelinho, who finished the game as the top scorer with 21 points.
Coach Paulo Chupeta, however, reveals that he felt a little nervous when Marcelinho shot that three-pointer on the red-blacks' last possession of the match.
"I had butterflies in my stomach when he kicked it, and then when Rogério kicked it. But the group trusts Marcelo, I knew he would take responsibility and thankfully everything worked out," he celebrated.
Point guard Hélio, who was one of the standouts in the series against Franca, also celebrated the result and explained that he has no preference for an opponent in the final. According to him, both Minas Gerais and Brasília will be fierce rivals in the fight for the third title.
"We're not going to choose. Whoever comes, it's going to be difficult. But the important thing is that it's a pleasure to play with this team. On the bench, I said we were going to win because I know that everyone here trusts each other and that only strengthens the group. That's why we're a different group," he concluded.