The final is in sight! With Balbi clutching the ball, FlaBasquete defeats Halcones and secures a spot in the BCLA final.
In a game of different times, Rubro-Negro counts on the decision-making power of the Magician to continue the fight for the third title of America
By Isabela Abirached - in
Flamengo remains firm in its pursuit of another continental title! On Saturday night (13), the red-black team won the semifinal of the Final Four of the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA), at the Ciudad de Santiago del Estero Stadium, in Argentina. The match that qualified the Pride of the Nation for the big decision ended in a 90-87 victory over Halcones de Xalapa-MEX.
With top scorer Deodato as the standout player in the first half of the duel and Balbi clutching the ball under his arm to lead Flamengo to victory, the team will now face the winner of Quimsa-ARG x Hebraica Macabi-URU in the final.
The decision, which marks the fight for the third championship of America, takes place tomorrow, Sunday (14), at 22:10 pm, with broadcast on FlaTV. In addition to the BCLA trophy won in 2021, Rubro-Negro also has on its resume the title of the League of the Americas (2014), a continental tournament that preceded the Champions League Americas.
Tournament campaign
Flamengo entered the semifinals with a strong performance in the BCLA. The Brazilian team suffered only one loss in the competition, to Boca Juniors-ARG in December of last year in Rio, still in the group stage. In total, they have won eight matches, including tonight's. In the quarterfinals, the Rubro-Negro defeated Obras Sanitarias-ARG with two wins in the best-of-three series.
Match Highlights
Points - Deodato (25)
Rebounds - Jaú (12)
Assists - Balbi (7)
Double-double - Gabriel Jaú (14 points, 12 rebounds)
The game
Flamengo took the initiative and went up 6-2, but Halcones fought back and stayed close. Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter, which was evenly matched until the final minute, when Flamengo's three-pointers began falling. Despite both Brazilian and Mexican teams being experts at perimeter shooting, the first three-pointer of the match came just two minutes from time, courtesy of Loku Cuello, who came off the bench to establish the foundation of the match. After the Argentine, Gui Deodato hit three three-pointers in a row, sealing the quarter's final score: 21-11 for Mengão.
The second period began as the first ended: with a basket from the Pride of the Nation's number one, this time on a two-pointer—the star's 1 consecutive points. With efficient defense and inspired offense, FlaBasquete remained more than 11 points ahead of the Mexicans, with a classy layup by Balbi, a dunk by Didi, and a three-pointer—even from behind!—by Olivinha making the score even more impressive. Another perimeter shot by Kayo Gonçalves ended the second period with a 10-47 lead for FlaBasquete.
A back-and-forth of three-pointers kicked off the third quarter, which was marked by the opponent's comeback. Relying on perimeter shooting, the Mexicans managed to tie the game in the period, scoring 29 points while Flamengo only managed 12. In the final period, the Halcones continued their comeback and turned the score around. Balbi's return to the court put the red-and-black team back in the game. With his well-known skill that earned him the nickname "Magician," the Argentine performed excellently on drives, drew fouls, and converted crucial points for the team from Gávea. A dunk by Gabriel Jaú, already with a double-double under his belt, also boosted the team's morale, which led 82-77 with two minutes remaining.
With eight seconds left on the clock, Deodato, the top scorer, converted two more free throws to secure the victory.
Starting Quintet
Franco Balbi, Gui Deodato, Didi Louzada, Kayo Gonçalves and Gabriel Jaú
Coach: Gustavo De Conti.