What a game! What a rivalry! What a victory! With a spectacular performance by Franco Balbi in the first half and Anderson Varejão in the final quarter, Flamengo defeated Mogi 81-74 in the NBB and stole third place from their rivals, while also showing everyone that the team is firmly in contention for the national title. A victory of authority and confidence for Gustavo De Conti's team. The victory, in addition to the practical effects of qualifying, boosts the team's morale, which will face Paulistano next Friday in Rio de Janeiro at 21:10 pm at the Tijuca Tênis Clube. 

Franco Balbi, in another outstanding performance, led the team in the first half, with sensational passes and breathtaking baskets that kept Flamengo ahead for the entire 20 minutes. The Argentine finished with 18 points and eight rebounds. If the point guard was outstanding, what can we say about the center? With 23 points and 11 rebounds, Anderson Varejão put the game away in the final quarter, securing the Flamengo victory. 

The game

The first quarter was as expected from a duel of this magnitude. Both teams fought back and forth, but Flamengo had Franco Balbi. The inspired Argentine scored eight points and tipped the balance for Flamengo, with eight points in just those 10 minutes, the difference in the final score of 26-14. 

Flamengo's momentum slowed in the second quarter, when Mogi opened up a 9-0 lead and forced Gustavo De Conti to take a timeout. The crowd's pressure was taking its toll, and the team took a while to find its feet. Flamengo scored the first two points of the half with almost three minutes gone. Then the team returned to the match. Balbi and Shamell began a private duel, taking center stage on the court, with assists and points (seven for the American and six for the Argentine) until the end, when Flamengo went into halftime with a one-point lead (36-35), despite having lost the quarter by seven (12-19).

The halftime chat was crucial for the team to regain control of the game. They didn't pull away from the scoreboard, but maintained their lead throughout the third quarter. There were also 10 minutes without an individual highlight, as the team worked as a unit to score, enough to open up a four-point lead in the final score (21-17) and carry that lead into the final 10 minutes. 

The game heated up in the final quarter. It was insane. And then Varejão showed up. The number 17 shined with 11 points and achieved a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, leading the game. His performance in this period was crucial. Varejão showed why he's considered the "King of the Paint" and held off JP Batista, nullifying Mogi's inside game, forcing long shots that fell flat. And knowing his firepower was strong inside the paint, Flamengo overwhelmed the center in his nine minutes on the court and closed with another victory in the NBB. 

The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – thinkseg, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, and EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and the State Incentive Law/Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Sports, Recreation, and Youth (Seelje), in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources generated by the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.