Flamengo dominates Rio de Janeiro basketball. Despite a few interruptions throughout its 94-year history, it still holds 43 titles organized by the Rio de Janeiro Basketball Federation and one by the Metropolitan League, which preceded the Federation. The current dominance, while unprecedented for the championship, is not surprising given that Flamengo won every title from 1951 to 1960, making this the second-longest streak in the competition's history.

Since 2005, the Best of Rio trophy hasn't been lifted by anyone other than Flamengo's. They've now won 12 consecutive titles. The championship isn't the same as it was in the 80s and 90s, but Flamengo has always respected and sought victory. This Thursday, against Botafogo, the team will take the court for the second game of the 2018 final, after winning the first 88-69 in Gávea last Tuesday. Another victory will give FlaBasquete the 2018 trophy, confirming their superiority, and also kicking off the intense season ahead.

The current campaign had a 100% success rate, the second highest number of points in a match for the club, the debut of a new way of playing and new faces wearing the Sacred Mantle, in addition to the coronation of names like Marquinhos and Olivinha who are already included in the pantheon of the red-black basketball stars.

Flamengo opened the series against Botafogo and will conclude it against Botafogo. Since 2016, when their rival returned to adult basketball, Flamengo has won 11 games and 11 matches. In this year's state championship, they won 67-57 in their debut, the first game for the new team led by Gustavo De Conti. In the return match, the game was closer: 73-69 for "Mais Querido." In the last NBB, Flamengo won two other matches: 107-54 in the first round and 90-84 in the second.

The final between Flamengo and Botafogo isn't exactly unprecedented, though it's only been a few times. The teams have only faced each other in the final four times. Three of those times—in 1934, 1951, and 1999—Fla prevailed against one of the teams in 1991.

the beginning of the story

The three-peat began in 2005, when Rio basketball was very different. There were more teams, stronger competition, and a favorite who wasn't wearing red and black.

Flamengo had faced difficulties in the sport a year earlier. The efforts of members and fans of the orange ball ensured that basketball remained within the club. And the team, led by Paulo Chupeta, took to the court to face Telemar and Vasco, among five other teams.

With players like Alexey, Olivia, Mingão, and Ricardinho, Chupeta's team had a 14-game campaign, with 12 wins and two losses, until the semifinals, where they defeated Vasco 2-1 in a best-of-three series. The final was against Telemar, in a duel where the favorites were all on the other side. The opponent had players of the caliber of Ratto, Sandro Varejão, and a still-newbie, Olivinha, who finished as the competition's top scorer with 313 points.

In the first game, Telemar won 107-82 at Club Municipal in Rio. The 25-point lead was a shock, and Flamengo had to rebuild and went into the second game under pressure. With a strong collective performance and Guto scoring 17 points, the team won 80-78, forcing a third match. That's when Alexey broke the deadlock, scoring 24 times, and Flamengo lifted the title with a 93-90 victory on December 22. The longest title streak in Rio basketball history had begun.

The following year, Olivinha returned to Flamengo to play with his brother Olivia, and together they won their second championship undefeated, with 20 wins in 20 games. An impeccable campaign crowned with victory over the 2007 Rio Pan after two overtimes in the second match.

The score ended 70-70, and overtime began with Flamengo ahead, holding the score at 80-77 until 21 seconds left, when Douglas tied it for Rio Pan with eight seconds left with a three-pointer. In the second overtime, the game was tied at 85-85 until Gema broke the deadlock and made it 93-87. Olivinha sealed the score with a dunk and the title.

The Marcelinho dynasty

The 2007 state championship marked the beginning of an era: the Marcelinho Machado Era. The eternal number 4 led Flamengo through its glory days, culminating in the 2014 Club World Cup, six NBB titles, the Liga das Américas, and 10 other state championships.

Marcelinho and Coloneze led the team in the final against Vasco at Maracanazinho. In two finals, Flamengo won the first 92-74 and took the lead. The second game was a nail-biter until the very end, and the title only came in the final seconds of the match, with Hélio's free throw making it 75-73. Vasco had a chance to attack, but they wasted it, and the title went to Gávea once again.

The path was paved for complete dominance in Rio de Janeiro basketball. Flamengo continued to win, regardless of the format or the opponents. With the strengthening of the NBB, the state championship lost ground on the calendar, being contested by fewer teams. From 2013 to 2016, only three clubs played, more as preparation for the rest of the season than as a competition in its own right. Flamengo, with the Manto to protect, focused on winning the competitions and accumulating trophies.

This Thursday, the expectation is for another winner. Flamengo needs to beat Botafogo again to win the trophy for the unprecedented 13th time. Never has a team won so much, and the hunger isn't over. Flamengo is on its way to a third championship.  

The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – thinkseg, Estácio, 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 from the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.