Making history seems to be the goal of Flamengo's basketball team. This Saturday morning (May 30.05), the "champions of everything" last season won their fourth title in the New Basketball Brazil (NBB), beating Bauru away from home 77-67, making the Rubro-Negro the biggest champion in the history of the tournament, which reached its seventh edition in 2014/2015. Argentine national team point guard Nicolás Laprovittola, Flamengo's top scorer (19 points), was named MVP of the finals.

Flamengo were vastly superior in the first three quarters, losing to Bauru in the final quarter. But the opposition's comeback was too late, and the trophy went to Flamengo. Vitor Benite commented on the season and the match. "This year wasn't our best in recent seasons; we didn't start very consistently, but the team showed the maturity of a champion, winning when it had to. We played two indisputable matches against the best team in Brazil this season (Bauru). They tried to scare us (in the final quarter), but we built our result throughout the game. It was three quarters of superior form that secured our victory," analyzed the Flamengo point guard.

Coach José Neto also spoke after the match, emotionally. "It's hard to talk now. Only those who see it day to day know what we go through—the players, the team, our families. This title is for the players. It's their celebration. They're the best and they believe in our work. The group we have is fantastic and above all else. Everyone respects each other here," said the coach, who dedicated the title to his children. 

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The first points of the game came with Bauru's Robert Day hitting a three-pointer, but Olivinha quickly responded on the counter, returning the long-range shot. While Nico and Olivinha performed well and Flamengo's shots fell, Bauru's shot refused to go through the basket, and the red-and-black team led 13-5 midway through the first quarter. The lead reached 13 with another three-pointer from Laprovittola (20-7) with three minutes remaining. The team played with great passion and desire on the court, which was even more evident in the celebrations after each point scored. Flamengo's superiority was clear on the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter: they led by 14 points (25-11).

In the second quarter, Bauru fought back and took the lead, albeit by a few points, but Flamengo maintained the advantage they had accumulated in the first quarter. In the final minute before halftime, Benite hit a three-pointer, giving José Neto's men a 13-point lead (37-24). Nico followed suit, finding the right balance to hit another from distance, and the period closed at 40-25 for Flamengo.

At the start of the third quarter, Flamengo led by 18 points, and the road victory was already shaping up. Olivinha scored a three-pointer with four minutes remaining, giving him the largest lead of the game so far: 21 points. The lead soon grew to 26 after Marcelinho hit a three-pointer and a two-pointer—from distance—in quick succession, prompting Bauru coach Guerrinha to call a timeout. Flamengo went into the final quarter leading 62-39.

With the final ten minutes remaining, Flamengo held a huge lead, but Bauru refused to give up, hitting three consecutive three-pointers with four minutes remaining (70-57). Their opponent from the interior of São Paulo managed to close the gap to ten points, but Flamengo managed to stay ahead. Flamengo's defense spread out to the corners of the court, hindering Bauru's collective play, and the Bauru team's reaction was too late: on the final possession, Flamengo led 77-67 and had all their fingers on the trophy—and Herrmann, once again, cut the net to take home the ball.

Partials:
1st quarter: Flamengo 25 x 11 Bauru
2st quarter: Flamengo 15 x 14 Bauru
3st quarter: Flamengo 22 x 14 Bauru
4st quarter: Flamengo 15 x 28 Bauru