One team, one show, one Flamengo. On Thursday night (24), the Most Beloved in the World played a game as the manual dictates: strong defense, efficient attack and a flawless collective performance. Against Joinville at the Cau Hensen gym, the Rubro-Negro won 89 to 50 and managed to stay alive in the fight for the top positions in the New Basketball Brazil.

The first half was very evenly matched, with intense competition between the teams. With a great performance from Olivinha, the Mais Querido managed to maintain the lead throughout, but saw Joinville put on the pressure in front of their home crowd. The mere one-point lead at the end of the first quarter demonstrated this, but the situation changed in the opening minutes of the second period. Opening a solid lead, Flamengo had good opportunities from Balbi and the number 16 to go into halftime leading 38-29.

In the second half, the scenario changed completely, and Flamengo dominated. Getting several fundamentals right and leaving the home team behind, Flamengo continued to score well, seeing six different players reach double digits. Thus, the third quarter ended 60-38, with an even larger lead at the end of the match: 89-50, not counting the dance.

Flamengo returns to the courts next Saturday (26) in a direct confrontation for third place. At the Professor Hugo Ramos gym, Mais Querido faces Mogi das Cruzes at 14 pm.

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.