After a season full of excitement, the Novo Basquete Brasil 7 (NBB) reaches the final with Flamengo and Bauru facing off for the title for the first time. This Tuesday (May 26.05), the two teams will take to the court at HSBC Arena at 21:30 pm for the first game of the best-of-three tournament that will decide the champion.

The two teams enter the final games of the championship with distinct season trajectories. Flamengo, after a 2013/2014 season in which they won everything they played, ended up combining the Intercontinental Tournament and NBA preseason games with the start of the State Championship and the NBB. Without a preseason, unlike in previous years, FlaBasquete had a less-than-usual start to the national tournament. Despite a few losses, the Pride of the Nation ended up qualifying in third place and had a flawless return leg. Buoyed by a significant increase in play, Flamengo entered the playoffs playing the kind of basketball that, last year, had made them the best team in Brazil and the Americas. Defeating São José 3-2 in the best-of-five quarterfinals and Limeira 3-0 in impressive fashion in the semifinals, Flamengo advanced to the finals in impressive fashion.

Marcelinho, a key player in the red-and-black team's qualification, highlighted the two teams' contrasting form. "I expect a very even run in this final. In my opinion, they're the two best teams in the championship. Bauru showed that during the qualifying round, and we played our best basketball in the second round and playoffs. It's a very important title for us, and we're going after another one," said the shooting guard.

On the São Paulo side, Bauru has a team that has made its goal of fighting for the title clear. With a roster packed with key signings, the team secured first place in the first few games of NBB 7 and never let up. Leading the qualifying stage, Bauru won 28 of their 30 matches. With a 93,3% success rate, the São Paulo team had a strong first stage and secured their place in the playoffs. In the final stages, the team didn't find it as easy. Facing Franca and Mogi das Cruzes in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, Bauru had to reach the fifth game of two best-of-five series to secure their place in the finals.

Tickets for the match between Flamengo and Bauru are being sold by Fast Ticket website and at physical locations. Check the physical points of sale and ticket prices.

Side Court Chair: R$320 (full price) - R$160 (half price, fan club member and Guardian Angel)

Back Court Chair: R$240 (full price) - R$120 (half price, fan club member and Guardian Angel)

Boxes: R$160 (full price) - R$80 (half price, fan club and Guardian Angel)

Special Side Chair: R$160 (full price) - R$80 (half price, fan club member and Guardian Angel)

Level 1 side: R$120 (full price) - R$60 (half price, fan club and Guardian Angel)

Level 1 fund: R$80 (full) - R$40 (half, fan club and Guardian Angel)

Level 3: R$30 (full price) - R$15 (half price, fan club and Guardian Angel)

HSBC Arena da Barra

Gávea

Ameno Resedá Mansion - Catete (Bento Lisboa Street, 4)

City of Arts - Barra da Tijuca (Avenue of the Americas, 5300)

FNAC-Barra - (Barra Shopping)

NET RIO Theater - Copacabana (Siqueira Campos Street, 143)

VIVO Store - Ipanema (Visconde de Pirajá Street, 443)

BR Piraquê Station - Lagoa (Borges de Medeiros Avenue)

Burgão Station - Taquara (Bandeirantes Road, 3300)

BR Bougainville Gas Station - Tijuca (Uruguay Street)

Who is it member-fan, and can't make it to HSBC Arena, you can take advantage of supermarket discounts to enjoy the game from home. Member of Red-Black Nation can take advantage of its advantages and fill the fridge to watch the Pride of the Nation. If you are not already member-fan, click here and sign up now! The match will be broadcast on SporTV channels starting at 21:30 p.m.

Followers of the club's official page on Facebook You can also follow the match coverage in real time and participate in the broadcast using #FlaAoVivo.

Flamengo and Bauru meet for the first time in an NBB final. Of the 21 times the clubs have faced each other in the championship's history, Flamengo has a clear advantage. Flamengo has 16 victories, compared to only five for the São Paulo team. Despite this, during NBB 7, Bauru won both meetings between the teams, in hard-fought matches.

Regarding the history of meetings between the current finalists, the "Mais Querido" (Most Beloved) has fared better in decisive moments. During the 2010/2011 season, the current finalists met in the quarterfinals, and the red-and-black team prevailed, closing out the series three games to one. This feat was repeated in the NBB 6, also in the quarterfinals, in the championship in which the "Pride of the Nation" achieved its third championship.

After closing out the best-of-five series 3-0 against Limeira, Flamengo ended up having more time than Bauru—which needed five games to qualify—to prepare for the finals, and so they did. Despite overseeing intense training at Gávea to finalize the final details, José Neto reiterated that there is no favorite in this final. "I don't believe this is a significant advantage. I think now it will be worth preparing for these matches, not only physically and technically, but also psychologically, so we can execute our plan to win the title," said Neto.