Flamengo defeated Paulistano 27.12-68 on Tuesday night (64) in the first game of the final four of the Olympic Development League (LDO) - the Brazilian Under-21 Basketball Championship. In the match held on the Tijuca court in Rio de Janeiro, the Rubro-Negro had Fred Duarte as a highlight once again, achieving his tenth double-double in 13 games in the LDO, with 22 points and 11 rebounds. The team returns to the court this Wednesday (28.12) against Brasília, at 21 pm, in Tijuca.

Flamengo started well, gaining a 10-point lead over their rival in the first quarter, which ended 26-16. Point guard Gegê commanded the plays well, with Alexandre and Fred Duarte as his main supporters. In the second half, Paulistano pressed and managed to close the gap, even without overtaking the Rubro-Negro: 39-34.

After the break, Flamengo continued to maintain their rhythm of play, but faced an even more motivated opponent, resulting in a score difference of just three points between the teams (53 to 50). 

The final quarter was thrilling and already showed what this final four promises to be like. The São Paulo team tied the game with a three-pointer from Thiaguinho, 55-55. The Rubro-Negro continued to come under pressure from Paulistano and only managed to breathe in the final seconds, with Daniel Lorio's free throw, which opened up a four-point lead that determined the final score of the match: 68-64.