Flamengo isn't even considering losing again in the Novo Basquete Brasil tournament this Sunday. Coach Paulo Chupeta's team was defeated by Franca last Friday and returns to the court today for another tough away match. The red-and-blacks face Palmeiras/Araraquara in the interior of São Paulo at 11 a.m., needing a win to maintain their place in the top four.

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The current two-time national champion, the Gávea team boasts the competition's top scorer, Marcelinho Machado, who, despite not having a great performance against Franca, is confident for this Sunday's match. The number 4 is still recovering from a left hand injury that forced him to train away from the rest of the team for over a month, but he believes that in a few rounds, he will be at peak form to help Flamengo fight for a third consecutive Brazilian Basketball Championship title.

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"My hand is still a bit uncomfortable. In training, we can manage it a bit, but in games we have the chance to see if everything is okay or not. I think it's just a matter of time before I fully recover," analyzed the player, who experienced an unusual incident last Friday: an excellent long-range shooter, he failed to convert any of the nine three-point shots he attempted.

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For the game against Araraquara, in addition to relying on the talent of Marcelinho and the rest of the team, coach Paulo Chupeta believes that psychological factors will also be crucial. Flamengo has four wins and three losses in the competition and is currently in fourth place. Despite this, there's no need to despair. The championship is still in its early stages, and there's still plenty of ball to be scored in the 2009-2010 Novo Basquete Brasil season.

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"We lost to Franca in a very close game. For this game, I asked for redoubled concentration to win. I talked to us about improving our attack and exploiting our opponent's weaknesses," Chupeta concluded.

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Without any absences, the red-and-black coach is expected to field the following lineup for the upcoming match: Helio, Duda, Marcelinho, Teichmann, and Coloneze. He also has Fred, Jefferson, Wagner, and Alírio on the bench.