Brasilia wins the NBB final
The team from the federal capital defeats Flamengo and is the new national basketball champion.
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
Flamengo was unable to repeat the success of the last two seasons and ended up missing out on the national basketball title in 2010. There was no lack of fight or dedication from the red-black warriors, but Brasília, second place in the 2008 and 2009 editions, ended up winning the fifth game of the decisive series, 76 to 74, and closed the NBB final 3 to 2 this Sunday morning in Anápolis.
The game was tense and closely contested, as another final between Flamengo and Brasília should be. The Brasilienses started better, played a strong first quarter. Flamengo fought back and controlled the game, but Lula Ferreira's team fought back, grew in the final quarter, and achieved what they hadn't achieved in 2008 and 2009: defeating the Flamengo and winning the national title.
Turnaround in the race
Flamengo opened the scoring with Duda, but Brasília started the better. Unlike in recent matches, it was the Brasília team that opened a strong lead, 12-4. Pressing hard and quickly counterattacking, Lula Ferreira's team showed that Flamengo wouldn't have an easy time in Anápolis. Paulo Chupeta stopped the game, but Brasília held on to the lead and opened up a 13-point lead, 19-6. This forced the Gávea team to switch from man-to-man defense to zone defense. It worked. The team improved and managed to cut the lead to 22-15.
The second quarter also began with Flamengo scoring the first basket, this time with Marcelinho, but this time the red-blacks did not let Brasília get closer, and with another basket from the number 4, this time a three, the difference that had been 13 dropped to just two points: 22 to 20. Helio, also with a three-point shot, reduced it even further, to one: 24 to 23. And again he, with a beautiful tray, encouraged by the shouts of "let's turn it around, Mengo" from the large red-black crowd in the gym, put Flamengo in front for the first time: 25 to 24.
The game then took on the feel of Flamengo versus Brasília: evenly matched, tense, and decided by the smallest of details. Details like the team's four consecutive free throws with three minutes remaining in the second quarter, which gave Flamengo a four-point lead: 36-32. Soon after, Vitor Boccardo converted a two-pointer, and Flamengo opened up its biggest lead of the game: 41-35, and by the end of the quarter, Flamengo had won 41-39.
Electrifying finale
Both teams returned from the locker room knowing they needed only 20 minutes to either scream their victory or lament their runner-up status. Trying to avoid the same outcome as the last two years, Brasília, with three three-pointers from Valtinho, put Brasília back in front with a 48-43 lead. But Flamengo's strong defense returned to play, and the team tied the game at 50-50. With baskets from Duda and Hélio, they took the lead once again and controlled the game until the end of the period, when the score was 55-52.
The final 10 minutes of the Novo Basquete Brasil 2010 tournament began. With the competition's two biggest teams facing off, the game tied at 57-57 in the first minute of the final quarter, the match took on dramatic overtones. While the League organizers were already preparing for the trophies and medals, the two teams played an increasingly even game on the court.
Flamengo opened up a five-point lead, Brasília opened up a four-point lead, but the title was only decided on the final possession. After Lula Ferreira's team took a six-point lead, Flamengo closed the gap and tied the game at 74-74 with a great play by Hélio, who stole the ball from Nezinho and hit a beautiful layup. Lula then stopped the game. In 24 seconds, the entire season. The ball was in play, Alex drove in, fouled, and two free throws for the number 10, who converted both. Flamengo then cleared the ball from the baseline, but Duda missed the three-point shot, and Brasília finally took the title.
The game was tense and closely contested, as another final between Flamengo and Brasília should be. The Brasilienses started better, played a strong first quarter. Flamengo fought back and controlled the game, but Lula Ferreira's team fought back, grew in the final quarter, and achieved what they hadn't achieved in 2008 and 2009: defeating the Flamengo and winning the national title.
Turnaround in the race
Flamengo opened the scoring with Duda, but Brasília started the better. Unlike in recent matches, it was the Brasília team that opened a strong lead, 12-4. Pressing hard and quickly counterattacking, Lula Ferreira's team showed that Flamengo wouldn't have an easy time in Anápolis. Paulo Chupeta stopped the game, but Brasília held on to the lead and opened up a 13-point lead, 19-6. This forced the Gávea team to switch from man-to-man defense to zone defense. It worked. The team improved and managed to cut the lead to 22-15.
The second quarter also began with Flamengo scoring the first basket, this time with Marcelinho, but this time the red-blacks did not let Brasília get closer, and with another basket from the number 4, this time a three, the difference that had been 13 dropped to just two points: 22 to 20. Helio, also with a three-point shot, reduced it even further, to one: 24 to 23. And again he, with a beautiful tray, encouraged by the shouts of "let's turn it around, Mengo" from the large red-black crowd in the gym, put Flamengo in front for the first time: 25 to 24.
The game then took on the feel of Flamengo versus Brasília: evenly matched, tense, and decided by the smallest of details. Details like the team's four consecutive free throws with three minutes remaining in the second quarter, which gave Flamengo a four-point lead: 36-32. Soon after, Vitor Boccardo converted a two-pointer, and Flamengo opened up its biggest lead of the game: 41-35, and by the end of the quarter, Flamengo had won 41-39.
Electrifying finale
Both teams returned from the locker room knowing they needed only 20 minutes to either scream their victory or lament their runner-up status. Trying to avoid the same outcome as the last two years, Brasília, with three three-pointers from Valtinho, put Brasília back in front with a 48-43 lead. But Flamengo's strong defense returned to play, and the team tied the game at 50-50. With baskets from Duda and Hélio, they took the lead once again and controlled the game until the end of the period, when the score was 55-52.
The final 10 minutes of the Novo Basquete Brasil 2010 tournament began. With the competition's two biggest teams facing off, the game tied at 57-57 in the first minute of the final quarter, the match took on dramatic overtones. While the League organizers were already preparing for the trophies and medals, the two teams played an increasingly even game on the court.
Flamengo opened up a five-point lead, Brasília opened up a four-point lead, but the title was only decided on the final possession. After Lula Ferreira's team took a six-point lead, Flamengo closed the gap and tied the game at 74-74 with a great play by Hélio, who stole the ball from Nezinho and hit a beautiful layup. Lula then stopped the game. In 24 seconds, the entire season. The ball was in play, Alex drove in, fouled, and two free throws for the number 10, who converted both. Flamengo then cleared the ball from the baseline, but Duda missed the three-point shot, and Brasília finally took the title.