Flamengo basketball returned to the court on Monday night (23.02) and did not disappoint. Always strong in the search for a place in the NBB 7 playoffs, Flamengo beat Macaé 103 to 78 at Tijuca Tênis Clube.

Flamengo fell behind. In the first quarter, Macaé took the lead. The Pride of the Nation fought back and led 12-8, but their opponent came back and finished the period with a 22-16 lead.

In the second quarter, the comeback: With another inspired performance from Benite, who scored 8 points in this period alone, and Olivinha, with 9 points and 7 rebounds before halftime, the Pride of the Nation staged a spectacular comeback. The game reached the halfway point with the score at 46-37 for the Red-Blacks.

In the third period, the visitors closed the gap again. Jamaal gave Flamengo's defense a hard time, and the visiting team was only four points behind. But José Neto's men were valiant, and just when the match seemed to be going their way, they surged forward again. The period ended with an even larger lead than the previous one: 77 to 63. Marquinhos and Benite stood out: Of Flamengo's 31 points in the period, 18 came from the duo.

In the final quarter, Orgulho da Nação simply controlled the result. The team consistently led Macaé by a good margin. At the end of the match, the scoreboard read 103-78 for the home team. With 22 points, Marquinhos led all scorers. Laprovittola, with 6 assists, and Olivinha, who grabbed 9 rebounds, also made their mark.

With the victory, the team occupies 3rd place in the table. FlaBasquete travels to compete in the next phase of the Liga das Américas this Tuesday (24.02). The Pride of the Nation returns to the court on Friday (27.02) to face Halcones Rojos-MEX in the fight for the second continental championship.

1st Quarter: Flamengo 16 x 22 Macaé

2st Quarter: Flamengo 30 x 15 Macaé

3st Quarter: Flamengo 31 x 26 Macaé

4st Quarter: Flamengo 26 x 15 Macaé

Final Score: Flamengo 103 x 78 Macaé