On Wednesday night (October 30.10), at the Tijuca Tênis Clube gymnasium, Flamengo's basketball team capped off a perfect campaign (100% success rate in eight games) with a stunning 82-71 victory over Macaé, lifting the State Championship trophy. The many "Mais Querido" fans in attendance had the honor of seeing the Gávea club win the competition for the ninth consecutive time and went wild when the trophy and gold medals were presented to the Flamengo players. Marcelinho, with 18 points, was the top scorer for José Neto's team.

"I'm incredibly proud to bring Flamengo another title. From the beginning, I've said that when Flamengo takes the court, in any championship, expectations are very high. The players honored that, overcoming the usual early-season challenges and beating a spirited team," said the Flamengo coach.

The game

Flamengo took to the court with the following starting five: Gegê, Laprovittola, Benite, Meyinsse, and Olivinha. Despite the nation's support, the game started extremely evenly, thanks mainly to the pressing marking of the Macaé team. Thus, the red-and-blacks' individual talents began to shine. A highlight was Laprovittola, who scored the Mais Querido's first points with a precise three-point shot. With such close play, the first quarter ended tied: 25-25. In the following ten minutes, José Neto began using a large number of his bench players. Marcelinho, Diego Marques, Shilton, and Cristiano Felício came on very well and gave Flamengo a new lease of life. But on the other side was a strong and competent opponent, which managed to keep the match even. By the end of the first half, the Gávea club held a mere two-point lead over Macaé: 40-38.

Flamengo returned for the second half with Gegê, Benite, Marcelinho, Meyinsse, and Olivinha. The game was not only balanced, but also tense. Some arguments broke out between the players, and the crowd in the stands finally "woke up" and began to sing loudly in support of the Flamengo players. With the spine-chilling spectacle of the fans, Flamengo grew stronger but continued to struggle against Macaé's efficient defense, which finished the third quarter leading 53-51. As technique alone wasn't enough, grit had to make the difference in the final quarter. José Neto's men seemed stronger, and the Macaé team couldn't win a single ball contest. With the energy of the fans and the will of the players, Flamengo tied the match (71-71) and forced overtime.

In the final five minutes that decided the match, there was no shortage of excitement. The nation didn't remain silent in the stands, and on the court, the players responded with determination. With Laprovittola dictating the pace, Flamengo outplayed Macaé and eliminated any chance of regaining the lead. In the final seconds, José Neto's team simply held on to their advantage and won 82-71.

"Winning a State Championship still really moves me. The day I no longer have that motivation to win, I'll know it's time to stop. With the sequence of games, I gained confidence and things started to improve. Coming here today and winning a title wearing the Flamengo jersey is really good, because it's different to be a champion wearing the Sacred Mantle. Now it's time to celebrate and start thinking about the NBB, which will be very tough," said the red-and-black top scorer Marcelinho.