In the Super 8 preview, Flamengo beats Minas away from home and reaches its tenth victory in the NBB
Teams face each other again on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro
By Flamengo Communication - in
The game was a NBB match, but Flamengo, already assured of third place, wanted the win but also wanted to use the match as a test for the Super 8 next weekend in Rio de Janeiro. Playing at their opponent's home ground, the "Mais Querido" secured a 91-80 victory over the Minas Gerais team, after an above-average first half and letting their opponents close in the third quarter. In the end, the advantage gained in the first 20 minutes prevailed, and the team with Olivinha and Franco Balbi in the squad.
The power forward scored 26 points in a spectacular performance. The Argentine point guard narrowly missed a triple-double with 11 points and 15 assists, his highest total in the Brazilian National Basketball Association (NBB), falling just two rebounds short of the record. It didn't matter much, as Balbi was essential to the victory with spectacular passes that baffled Minas' defense.
Third and sixth placed in the NBB, respectively, the two teams will face each other in the first round of the Super 8, next Saturday, (21), at 14 pm, at Arena Carioca 1. Information about tickets will be passed on soon.
The first quarter was all about one team. Flamengo took no notice of Minas. With an excellent defensive performance, the team grabbed 11 rebounds and stopped three Minas attacks as the clock expired. Olivinha, already showing what was to come, and Kevin Crescenzi scored seven points, while Balbi dished out the assists that would tip the balance. The 26-12 scoreline only confirmed the technical difference on the court.
In the second quarter, the situation didn't change much. This time, it was Varejão who stepped up to play alongside Olivinha and score the team's points. The rebounding was more evenly matched (10-9), but the difference in field goal percentage was still much greater for Flamengo. They scored 10 inside the paint compared to just two for Minas, and the first half ended 53-31 (29-17) for the visitors.
After halftime, Minas was a different team. Encouraged by the fans, the blue team found its feet and put pressure on Flamengo. The 20-point deficit was eliminated, but it still proved crucial to maintaining the lead in the fourth quarter. With 16 points, Coleman pushed Minas, and they only avoided a tie thanks to Olivinha's 10 points, the exact same margin at the end of the quarter (70-60), which reversed the previous score: 29-17 to Minas.
In the final 10 minutes, the game was filled with excitement. Flamengo still held the lead and never relinquished it, but the Minas Gerais team closed the gap and reduced the deficit to five points. Jefferson was the main driver of Minas Gerais' comeback, with 12 points. Marquinhos and Davi stepped up with five points each to keep Flamengo in the win, which they reached at the end of the half with an 11-point margin.
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.