FlaBasquete defeats Sociedade Thalia and is in the semifinals of the Copa Brasil Sub-18
Mais Querido takes off in the fourth quarter and advances another step towards the title
By Victor Cachoeira - in
This Thursday (18), the Crias da Gávea concluded another stage of the Copa Brasil Sub-18. With the triumph over Sociedade Thalia by 75 to 49, Mais Querido remains undefeated and advances to the semifinal of the national tournament. The pivot Ruan was the red-black's top scorer with 19 points.
Flamengo entered the court with strong individual defense. On offense, Ruan dominated the paint and opened the scoring. Helping out on both ends of the court, Assis also added rebounds, and FlaBasquete further exploited its play under the basket. At the end of the period, Mengão led 21-12.
In the second quarter, the Crias da Gávea maintained their momentum. With strong plays from winger Lucas Aprigio, the score grew, and the Mais Querido increasingly imposed its game plan. From the fifth minute onward, the Paraná team grew in the match and made Flamengo's offensive efforts difficult. With perimeter shots, they erased Flamengo's lead, and by the halftime whistle, the score was only 5 points ahead.
After the break, FlaBasquete regained its early momentum. With plays from Aprigio, Matheusinho, and Assis, the score was extended in favor of the Gávea team. The match remained evenly matched as time wore on, with both sides exchanging scores until the final second. At the end of the ten minutes, the score was 53-43 for the Gávea team.
The final period of the quarterfinals started off well for Flamengo. With an aggressive attack and a more consistent defense, victory was on the cards as the clock ticked down. With Matheusinho's fast pace and the efficiency of Aprigio and Ruan, the outcome could not have been any other: victory and qualification secured by a score of 75-49.
The Crias da Gávea return to the court this Friday at 18 p.m. for the semifinal against Minas Tênis Clube. Seeking to maintain their unbeaten streak and reach the grand final, the Rubro-Negro are counting on the strength of their squad for another crucial step forward in the season.
Game highlights
Ruan - 19 points and 11 rebounds
Lucas Aprigio - 18 points
Matheusinho - 17 points and 11 rebounds
Matheus Assis - 12 points and 12 rebounds
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.