FlaBasquete plays with GPS in hand, scores 19 three-pointers and secures qualification in the South American Championship
A victory over Goes puts Rubro-Negro in the next round. A match against Welcome decides group position.
By Lucas Dantas - in
If you're struggling to get into the paint, what do you do? Open up the team, shoot from distance, and score an incredible 18 three-pointers in the match, demolishing the opposing defense. This was the tone of the 93-81 victory over Goes on a cold Montevideo night, which qualified Flamengo for the next stage of the South American League early. With two wins in two games, the team will face Welcome this Wednesday just to secure first place in the group.
Marquinhos was the absolute standout of the game, with 26 points, including five three-pointers. Deryk, with 12, and Davi, 11, also scored well on the night, which also saw Nesbitt come within one point of a double-double, in addition to grabbing nine rebounds.
The game
While Flamengo struggled early in yesterday's match, this time they gave the Uruguayans no chance and showed who they were in control of from the first possession. Their first solitary point came three minutes into the game, when Mengão was already up 9-0, thanks to Marquinhos and Deryk's excellent three-point shots.
Encouraged by the fans, the Uruguayans began to find their footing and pressed on, scoring 13 consecutive points against no red-and-blacks, tying the game. Gustavo stopped the game and got the team back on track, scoring well and rebounding. It worked, and the team finished the first quarter ahead by five points (23-18).
The points were slow to fall in the next half. It took almost four minutes for the ball to cross the line, with a three-pointer from Marquinhos. And that was the team's main weapon. In those ten minutes alone, they had five successful shots from distance. With more difficulty getting into the paint, the team tried to take risks—and score—from the perimeter to maintain their lead, which ended with a 10-point lead at 45-35 going into the locker room.
The pace in the third quarter dropped significantly. Both teams struggled to score, and three-point shooting declined. However, Deryk, as always, saved from the dead zone, making it 53-47 and keeping Flamengo at bay. The formula remained. With poor scoring inside the paint, the team kept trying from outside, until they managed to close out the tight quarter at 68-61 after a fantastic basket from the dead zone by Kevin.
A winning team... With a calibrated hand, the team maintained its strategy of shooting from distance. And with success. Marquinhos, Kevin, Deryk, whoever it was, Gustavo De Conti's tactic was executed with high efficiency and gave Goes no chance. Goes tried valiantly to fight back, but was powerless to hold off the red-and-black artillery. In the end, the 12-point victory was more than deserved and secured early qualification.
The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – thinkseg, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, and EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and the State Incentive Law/Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Sports, Recreation, and Youth (Seelje), in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources generated by the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.