In an electrifying match, Rafael Mineiro shines, Flamengo defeats Paulistano and goes to the Super 8 semi-finals
The pivot scored the point that sealed the red-black victory with five seconds remaining; The Pride of the Nation awaits the winner of Minas vs. Unifacisa
By Isabela Abirached - inOn Saturday afternoon (15), the Pride of the Nation offered a test for heart patients at the Maracanãzinho gymnasium! In an exciting clash with Paulistano, Flamengo secured victory and qualification for the Super 8 Cup semifinal with just five seconds left in the game.
Yago led all scorers with 17 points, followed by Dar Tucker, who scored 15 and also grabbed six rebounds. Rafael Mineiro led the way with 12 points, including an offensive rebound that proved decisive in the final score. Túlio da Silva also stood out with 13 points and seven rebounds.
DECISIVE! FUNDAMENTAL! MONSTER!@rafaelmineiro7 He gave a complete assessment of Flamengo's victory!?1️⃣2️⃣ #FlaBasquete #UntilTheEnd #BRBNation pic.twitter.com/qheOPRaruE
— Time Flamengo (@TimeFlamengo) January 15, 2022
The game
Paulistano started more effectively offensively and took an 11-2 lead. The red-and-black team's comeback began with a great play by Túlio da Silva, with a dribble followed by a dunk that lifted the crowd in the stands. The number 7 also hit a three-pointer in a row that brought Mengão closer. Flamengo continued to grow in the match, and a Dar Tucker shot put Flamengo just two points behind their opponent. And it was the point guard who scored the winning points on the next play, with a shot from outside the perimeter: 14-13 with two minutes left in the first quarter. The Mais Querido (The Most Beloved) team held the lead until the final second of the period, when Paulistano found a three-pointer and went into the second quarter leading 20-19.
In the first minute of the half, Yago put Flamengo back in the lead with a beautiful three-pointer. The long-range shots, a hallmark of Gustavo De Conti's team, began to fall, and Mengão opened up a healthy lead that held until halftime: 42-33. In the third quarter, another three-pointer was a calling card, this time scored by Rafael Mineiro, but Paulistano was poised for a comeback. The opponent took the lead in the half, but in the final moments, the Rubro-Negro closed the gap (19-20) and went into the final period leading 61-53.
In the final minutes of the match, the game was tight and very even. With four minutes remaining, a beautiful block by Rafael Mineiro started the red-and-black counterattack, which ended with a dunk by Dar Tucker that drew a scream from the fans in the gym: 67-60. The duel continued with great excitement, with only one point separating the teams with 31 seconds remaining. With the score at 69-68, Mineiro made the decisive play, grabbing the offensive rebound on a tackle in the paint and scoring the basket that sealed the victory: 71-68.
Towards the semi-finals!
The next match will be this Tuesday (18), at 20pm, at Maracanãzinho, against the winner of the duel between Minas and Unifacisa, which takes place on Saturday night (15), at 20pm.
Check out the competition table:
– Quarterfinals
15/01, Saturday
16:10 pm – Flamengo (2nd) x Paulistano (7th)
20pm – Minas (3rd) x Unifacisa (6th)
16/01, Sunday
12pm – Franca (1st) x Caxias do Sul (8th)
20pm – Sao Paulo (4th) x Bauru (5th)
- Semifinal
18/01, Tuesday
20pm – Winner 1 vs. Winner 2
19/01, Wednesday
19pm – Winner 3 vs. Winner 4
- Final
22/01, Saturday
16:10 pm – Semifinal Winners
The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo rely on resources from their sponsors – BRB, MOSS, TIM, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and State Incentive Law/State Secretariat of Sports, Leisure and Youth (Seelje) of Rio de Janeiro, in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC).