FlaBasquete will be looking for its 49th state title, its 18th consecutive, starting this Thursday (5), in Gávea. The competition will be played in a triangular format, at the Hélio Maurício Gymnasium, with Municipal and Centro Cívico Leopoldinense completing the participating teams.

Mengão's debut, on Thursday, is against CCL Leopoldinense, at 19:30 pm. Then, on Friday (6), Municipal and CCL Leopoldinense face each other also at 19:30 pm. On Saturday (7), Flamengo and Municipal decide the tournament at 17 pm. FlaTV will broadcast the state championship - live and with images and the club will make 400 tickets per game available to guests.

Coach Gustavo De Conti leads Orgulho da Nação in the competition and has a nearly complete squad. Franco Balbi returns to the club after a stint in Argentina. Scott Machado, Didi Louzada, Felipe Motta, and Maique will make their debuts for Orgulho da Nação. Loku Cuello, Gui Deodato, Gabriel Jaú, and Olivinha return for another season in red and black. Matheus Leoni and Emanuel are also available for Gustavinho. Marko Filipovity, meanwhile, is awaiting release.

Remember how last year's achievement went: 

On a night of debuts, FlaBasquete wins a double and becomes seven-time state champion

The U-23 Crias da Gávea team defeated Niterói 90-68 at 18 p.m., and the main FlaBasquete team defeated Municipal 109-40 at 20 p.m., both at Maracanãzinho, on their way to becoming seventeenth state champions. This is the Pride of the Nation's 17th consecutive state title, the 48th in its history.