The FlaBasquete team left this Tuesday (24.02) for Mar del Plata, where the second phase of the Americas League (LDA) 2015 begins. Having qualified as leader of its group in the first stage of the competition, the Rubro-Negro team will face Halcones Rojos, from Mexico (27.02), Trotamundos, from Venezuela (28.02) and finally, the home team, Peñarol, from Argentina (29.02), but it certainly won't be easy to reach the Final Four and defend the continental title.

Having missed the first three LDA games, point guard Gegê, one of the team's standouts in Orgulho da Nação's last victory with Novo Basquete Brasil, arrives with extra motivation for this stage of the competition. "The expectations are huge. We know how important it is to secure this spot in the Final Four, especially when we're defending our title, and we know how great it feels to win a competition like this. I went on the trip in the first round, but ended up getting injured there, so my desire to get on the court and help Flamengo is doubled. If everyone is going to be at 100%, I'll play at 200% to make up for the time I was out and help the Red-Blacks get back to qualifying," said Orgulho da Nação's number 19.

Gegê took the opportunity to discuss the opponents Flamengo will face in Argentina. "We don't have to focus on the strongest team, but rather that each game is a final. If we have a bad result in the opening match, things will get complicated. The first challenge is Friday (February 27.02th). After that match, we'll focus on Saturday and then Sunday. The important thing is to arrive strong and focused to leave with the qualification."

José Neto, Pride of the Nation's coach, echoed Gegê's sentiments about the importance of taking each game into account to secure qualification in this final stretch. "We had a very important training period. Whenever we have the chance to train hard, the team benefits greatly from the fact that we didn't have a preseason. We're still a bit under pressure, but Friday, against Halcones Rojos, we'll be in ideal condition. Every game, as Gegê said, will be a final. It's a tough tournament, where our opponents will be reinforcing themselves significantly to face us. Our first opponent is leading the Mexican Championship. The second team, Trotamundos, has strengthened and is doing very well in the Venezuelan Championship. Finally, we'll face the home team, where we'll arrive with the expectation we really want to achieve, but which we know won't be easy: to finish this second phase fighting for the lead," he concluded.