Did you miss it? The Pride of the Nation is back. And it's back in style. A special guest at the inauguration of the Unifacisa Arena in Campina Grande (Paraíba), Flamengo did what the fans expected. They put on a show, guaranteed the joy of the crowd that filled the arena, and beat the home team 73-67, leading the scoreboard throughout the entire match. The game also marked the debut of Flamengo's basketball team in the state of Paraíba, and also of point guard Arthur Pecos wearing the Flamengo jersey. 

Even though it was their debut, first game, and the start of the season, the Flamengo team already showed good teamwork. The first two points of the season were scored by Olivinha. Soon after, Marquinhos found Pecos entering the paint, and the point guard didn't miss. Then it was Marcelinho's turn, with a three-pointer. 

Fueled by the packed Arena Unifacisa crowd, the home team wasn't intimidated by their rivals and aimed for a balanced game, but Flamengo asserted their superiority with excellent plays and varied attacks in the paint. With a nine-point lead, Marquinhos decided to put on a show for the crowd, slamming into the air to the delight of the audience. The Unifacisa fans wanted a show, and that's exactly what Marcão delivered with a beautiful dunk that sent the crowd into raptures. The first quarter ended with Flamengo leading 22-09. 

In the second quarter, the difference only increased, doubling to 26-13. The game was a friendly, but Unifacia wanted to show strength to the fans, and Flamengo knew the responsibility they had. Neto substituted Pecos for Ramon, and the team maintained its quality and control of the game. Every point was fiercely contested, but the technical difference was too great, and Flamengo simply managed the advantage gained in the first quarter to close it out 36-23.

The second half of the game had a different outlook. Urged on by the crowd, Unifacisa tied the game at 50-50, igniting the gymnasium. But newcomer Pecos shot three consecutive shots and opened up a six-point lead at the end of the quarter, keeping Flamengo in the lead, who closed the period at 58-52.

The final quarter was very similar to the previous one. Flamengo maintained the lead throughout the period, but the home team kept pressing on the scoreboard, especially with Marcão, who was evenly matched. On the Rio side, Pecos created good plays and found spaces for penetrations, while Olivinha secured defensive rebounds and ball possession for the Pride of the Nation. Relief came at the end when Humberto, Pecos, and Marquinhos found their rhythm with three-point shots, opening up a 71-64 lead. Marquinhos then capitalized on a ball stolen by Marcelinho and dunked again, making it 73-64. After that, it was just a matter of managing the game until closing at 73-67, opening the season with a victory in Paraíba. 

Top scorers: Marquinhos (22 points), Arthur Pecos (14 points), Olivinha (11 points).

The Flamengo Regatas Club basketball teams receive funding from their sponsors – Estácio, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, and EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR), as well as support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources generated by the Pelé Law. The Flamengo Guardian Angel Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved Club.