Deryk scores 24 points, FlaBasquete turns the difference to 15 and beats Libertad in the League debut
Mengão shows great collective play to overcome Argentina and prepares for the second clash
By Lucas Dantas - in
Race, fight, determination, and until the end. And Deryk. That's FlaBasquete. After starting with a significant deficit in the first quarter, Gustavo De Conti's team fought back, going point by point, ball by ball, reducing Libertad's lead until turning the game around in the final minutes and leaving the court with the victory. In the 2018 South American League debut, Mengão defeated the Argentines at the Peñarol gymnasium in Montevideo, 98-86, with a sensational performance from their number nine.
The shooting guard delivered everything: 18 points, six assists, and two rebounds. Essential throughout the match and spot-on in the final quarter, Deryk was the name of the game. He was well-supported by Franco Balbi, who scored 16 points, and the ever-present and deadly Marquinhos, who scored XNUMX. With the victory, the team takes a crucial step forward in the competition and faces Goes, with a more relaxed approach, this Tuesday, in the second game of the tournament.
The first quarter was a memorable one. With a performance far below par, FlaBasquete saw Libertad play as they pleased. Five minutes in, the Argentines took a 10-2 lead and were roaming the court. Flamengo was struggling with plays, shots, passes, or shots. A comeback emerged in the second half, but it was too late, and the rival team finished well ahead, 10 points ahead (29-19).
A quick chat at halftime, and Flamengo came out looking different. Point by point, the team closed the gap and saw the equalizer coming. Libertad still held on well, enough to finish in front, but Balbi and Mineiro's play began to shine, making the final message of the first half clear, with the Argentines leading by eight points but with plenty of play left.
Gustavo De Conti did a lot of talking in the locker room. The result was a devastating Flamengo. Four minutes into the third quarter, it was all Mengão, and Balbi turned the game around for the first time, to 52-51, with five minutes remaining. From then on, it was a game of point-hunting, with both teams alternating in front, but neither team breaking away. Nesbitt, Kevin, and Deryk put their best foot forward from distance and put Flamengo ahead by one point at the end of the quarter. It wasn't much, but the game had a different meaning.
In the final ten minutes, Deryk broke the deadlock. Three-pointers, assists, a great play with Balbi, and Flamengo ran riot. In the end, with the lead, Olivinha came in and grabbed the rebounds. Then it was time to pass the ball and wait for the clock to run out.
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.