Time to win with your heart
Flamengo goes in search of its third NBB championship this Sunday, against Brasília
By press office - in
Neither Brasília nor Rio de Janeiro. The venue for the Novo Basquete Brasil final will be Anapólis, in Goiânia. But that doesn't worry the Flamengo players in the slightest. After a spectacular 94-74 victory this Thursday at HSBC Arena, which kept the Rio de Janeiro team alive in the competition and postponed the title decision until the fifth and decisive game, this Sunday, at 10 am, at the Nilton Faria Gymnasium, the Flamengo fans know that now is the time to let their hearts speak louder in the fight for their third national championship. The match will be broadcast live on Sportv.
Accustomed to being the star of almost every Flamengo game, Marcelinho experienced a different feeling last Thursday. After committing three fouls in the first quarter of the fourth game, the Flamengo captain spent almost the entire game on the bench and felt the fans' agony firsthand. Because of this, the Flamengo captain expects an even more tense decision.
"It's going to be a game for those with nerves of steel and a strong heart. There's nothing more to say about the matchup. The two teams know each other well, they're evenly matched, and they'll decide who's the best team in the country for the third consecutive time. I watched the last game from the bench for almost 30 minutes, and Flamengo gave another great demonstration of their strength, their team, and showed they want to be champions. I'm very confident; our group is tight, focused, and we're going to fight hard for this third championship. It's time to leave everything that happened behind, think only about this match, and play with our hearts," said Marcelinho Machado, who has 970 points and could reach 1.000 in the 2009/2010 NBB.
But to break another record and achieve the long-awaited third national championship, Marcelinho recognizes that the team needs to correct some mistakes made during the series. Especially in the two defeats in Brasília, when the team was inconsistent and allowed the opponent to control both matches.
"We have to control the game. That's how our team is strong and knows how to play. We played a great game in Rio, but we know we had a lot of ups and downs in the two away games. We have to be more consistent in the fifth game. In both games in Brasília, we started very strong and then fell out of the game, allowing them to turn the score around," explained the red-and-black captain, who is also nominated for the Fans' Most Valuable Player award.
Flamengo's leading player in the fourth match with 20 points and nine assists, Duda highlighted the team's defense in the 20-point victory. Besides reducing Brasília's offensive output, one of the opponent's strengths, the strong defense allowed Flamengo to use its main weapon: counterattacks. But the red-and-black winger knows that to win the third title, Flamengo needs much more.
"We need a perfect performance this Sunday to be champions. It's a final, and everyone has fought hard to get here. We've been competing for nine months, waiting for this moment and for us to be in this condition. Now it's time to step onto the court and give everything this team can. It's time to overcome, to win a Brazilian title, and to achieve that, any effort is worth it," emphasized the red-and-black maestro, who trusts in the support of the nation.
"The red-black Nation is spread across the country and I'm sure that, in Anápolis, we'll have our fans with us and we'll play as if we were at home," Duda added.
Very close to leading Flamengo to its unprecedented third national championship, Paulo Chupeta expects another tense and difficult match this Sunday. However, the Flamengo coach made a point of emphasizing the collective play and the strength of the two-time Brazilian champions.
"I've always emphasized that in all our achievements, our greatest virtue has been the team as a whole, the strength of our group. It's true that we have the greatest player in Brazil on our side, Marcelinho, but the quality of our squad makes this team even stronger and very difficult to beat. We lost several players during the season due to injuries, and we always overcame them. And this one will be no different. We managed to even the streak and now we're going to Anápolis in search of another title. I'm sure our fans will be there to support us," said Chupeta.
Another trophy
Hungry for titles, winger Marcelinho wants, in addition to the NBB title, to be named the Fans' Best Player of the 09/10 season. As the title holder, he knows he can count on the support of the Nation, but even so, he asks for a little help in the voting.
"It's always good to be competing for another award. I hope the huge Flamengo fan base helps me win this trophy," said the Flamengo star.
Sportv launched voting for the award on its official website, allowing fans to choose the standout player of this NBB season. A fan favorite, the "Crack of the Crowd" is a player who, besides standing out on the court for his undeniable quality, also possesses a charisma worthy of an idol. Everything Marcelinho represents for Flamengo.
To vote, simply access the official Sportv website or the commentator Byra Bello's blog.
Accustomed to being the star of almost every Flamengo game, Marcelinho experienced a different feeling last Thursday. After committing three fouls in the first quarter of the fourth game, the Flamengo captain spent almost the entire game on the bench and felt the fans' agony firsthand. Because of this, the Flamengo captain expects an even more tense decision.
"It's going to be a game for those with nerves of steel and a strong heart. There's nothing more to say about the matchup. The two teams know each other well, they're evenly matched, and they'll decide who's the best team in the country for the third consecutive time. I watched the last game from the bench for almost 30 minutes, and Flamengo gave another great demonstration of their strength, their team, and showed they want to be champions. I'm very confident; our group is tight, focused, and we're going to fight hard for this third championship. It's time to leave everything that happened behind, think only about this match, and play with our hearts," said Marcelinho Machado, who has 970 points and could reach 1.000 in the 2009/2010 NBB.
But to break another record and achieve the long-awaited third national championship, Marcelinho recognizes that the team needs to correct some mistakes made during the series. Especially in the two defeats in Brasília, when the team was inconsistent and allowed the opponent to control both matches.
"We have to control the game. That's how our team is strong and knows how to play. We played a great game in Rio, but we know we had a lot of ups and downs in the two away games. We have to be more consistent in the fifth game. In both games in Brasília, we started very strong and then fell out of the game, allowing them to turn the score around," explained the red-and-black captain, who is also nominated for the Fans' Most Valuable Player award.
Flamengo's leading player in the fourth match with 20 points and nine assists, Duda highlighted the team's defense in the 20-point victory. Besides reducing Brasília's offensive output, one of the opponent's strengths, the strong defense allowed Flamengo to use its main weapon: counterattacks. But the red-and-black winger knows that to win the third title, Flamengo needs much more.
"We need a perfect performance this Sunday to be champions. It's a final, and everyone has fought hard to get here. We've been competing for nine months, waiting for this moment and for us to be in this condition. Now it's time to step onto the court and give everything this team can. It's time to overcome, to win a Brazilian title, and to achieve that, any effort is worth it," emphasized the red-and-black maestro, who trusts in the support of the nation.
"The red-black Nation is spread across the country and I'm sure that, in Anápolis, we'll have our fans with us and we'll play as if we were at home," Duda added.
Very close to leading Flamengo to its unprecedented third national championship, Paulo Chupeta expects another tense and difficult match this Sunday. However, the Flamengo coach made a point of emphasizing the collective play and the strength of the two-time Brazilian champions.
"I've always emphasized that in all our achievements, our greatest virtue has been the team as a whole, the strength of our group. It's true that we have the greatest player in Brazil on our side, Marcelinho, but the quality of our squad makes this team even stronger and very difficult to beat. We lost several players during the season due to injuries, and we always overcame them. And this one will be no different. We managed to even the streak and now we're going to Anápolis in search of another title. I'm sure our fans will be there to support us," said Chupeta.
Another trophy
Hungry for titles, winger Marcelinho wants, in addition to the NBB title, to be named the Fans' Best Player of the 09/10 season. As the title holder, he knows he can count on the support of the Nation, but even so, he asks for a little help in the voting.
"It's always good to be competing for another award. I hope the huge Flamengo fan base helps me win this trophy," said the Flamengo star.
Sportv launched voting for the award on its official website, allowing fans to choose the standout player of this NBB season. A fan favorite, the "Crack of the Crowd" is a player who, besides standing out on the court for his undeniable quality, also possesses a charisma worthy of an idol. Everything Marcelinho represents for Flamengo.
To vote, simply access the official Sportv website or the commentator Byra Bello's blog.