After facing archrival Brasília in the first round, Flamengo returns to the court in Group D of the Liga das Américas this Friday at 20:05 pm, with live coverage on Fox Sports, to face another Brazilian team, Pinheiros. The São Paulo team will be the Rio de Janeiro team's first opponent in the competition, which also faces Club Mavort of Ecuador on Saturday and Rotili of Club Atlético Lanús of Argentina on Sunday. Point guard Vitor Benite highlights the team's preparation for the tournament:

"Expectations are high. Of course, we already know the teams. We've faced Pinheiros twice this season. On the other hand, they know us well too. The positive side is that we've had more time to train and focus on the competition," the athlete analyzed.

The top teams from each group advance to the Final Four, which will be held from March 29th to 31st at a location yet to be determined. A strong debut in the group is considered crucial by the red-and-blacks. "A win in this first match will be very important. Our biggest goal is to reach the Final Four, and we need to start strong," said forward Bruno Zanotti.

Coach José Neto, meanwhile, warns of the improved quality of the opponents compared to the first stage, which Flamengo played in Venezuela in February. "The teams that reached this stage are benchmarks in their countries. They are teams that are doing well in their championships. Pinheiros is an example. They are in good form in the National League," he stated.