In the final stretch of preparation for the LDB (Basketball Development League), Flamengo's under-22 team beat the University of Kansas (USA), 74 x 72, in a friendly game on the night of last Monday (13.08), in Gávea.

In a closely contested game, Flamengo's George Frederico led the way with 22 points. Diego Marques also stood out with 14 points.

This was the second of two friendlies played by Flamengo against American teams. The first was on Friday (August 10.08), against the University of Utah, also in Gávea. In the game, Flamengo was defeated, 58 to 66.

"These games were very important for the boys' preparation for the LDB. Both matches were high-level, and we had an excellent victory yesterday against the University of Kansas. Through these games, we evaluated many players and were able to establish a rhythm of play that is very important for the development of the entire team," said coach Paulo Chupeta.

Flamengo won the LDB (the tournament equivalent to the Brazilian Championship in this category) in the inaugural edition last year. Now, the red-and-black team is in Group D, which includes Vitória/ES, Vitória/BA, Tijuca, and Joinville. The debut date has not yet been set.