The fight for the third national basketball championship is about to begin in earnest. On Sunday, Flamengo faces Brasília in the final round of the 2009-2010 NBB qualifying round. The winner secures first place and, consequently, the right to decide the championship at home in a potential final. This is Flamengo's goal.

The red-and-black team already has the recipe for achieving it: a strong defense combined with the strength of the squad and the support of the fans are crucial in this final stretch. Jefferson, who came off the bench in the 91-71 victory over Minas and scored 12 points, has nothing but praise for the group.

"The secret of the squad lies precisely in its strength. It's a large and very homogeneous group, where everyone trusts each other. That's the big difference. There's always someone coming off the bench and making a big contribution," he said.

For star forward Marcelinho Machado, it's important to maintain the rhythm the team has been showing in recent matches. The number 4 believes the team should always have a strong first half in decisive matches.

"We had a very good first half, once again, and that makes the match easier. We managed to open up a comfortable 20-point lead, and even so, we didn't take our foot off the gas. The team controlled the game well and deserved the win," he said.

Strong defense
The players have been hammering home one thing all season: the team is very strong on offense, so if they get their defense right, they'll be very difficult to beat. And that's what they've been doing. Coach Chupeta praises it.

"I talked to the players about getting the balls out of Sucatzky's hands, and they did, which significantly neutralized their attack. Murilo was also neutralized, leaving only the American and Drudi to score. One of the secrets to the victory was this good defense," he concluded.

On Sunday at noon, Flamengo faces Brasília away from home at Ginásio Nilson Nelson. The winner of this match will secure first place in the standings.