Flamengo debuts with victory in the League of the Americas
The team overcomes altitude and the absence of two players to defeat Quimsa. This Wednesday, their opponent is Mavort.
By press office - in
Flamengo got off to a strong start on its journey to its first-ever Liga das Américas basketball title. In its first-round debut, the team defeated Quimsa (ARG) 78-72 on Tuesday night (January 11.01) in Ibarra, Ecuador. On Wednesday (January 12.01), the team returns to the court against Mavort, the home team making its tournament debut, at 23:15 PM (Brasília time), in a match that could secure the Red-Blacks' qualification for the next round.
Tuesday's game was marked by the Rio de Janeiro team's resilience. The team had to contend with the Ecuadorian city's altitude (2.200 meters) and the absence of injured forwards Jefferson and Wagner. Argentina's Lo Grippo led all scorers with 23 points. For Flamengo, American David Teague scored 20 points.
As in recent clashes between Brazil and Argentina, the game started evenly. Flamengo held the biggest lead in the first quarter: 19-14, but the deficit fell to one point by the end of the quarter: 23-22. Committing numerous errors, Flamengo felt the absence of Jefferson and Wagner. Without two key replacements, the remaining players were worn out. The first half ended tied: 36-36.
The game remained even in the second half. But this time, Quimsa pulled away further on the scoreboard: 41-45. Flamengo, however, took the lead 48-47 and closed the quarter at 55-53. In the final quarter, the grit and determination of the red-and-black players prevailed. The Rio de Janeiro team allowed the Argentines to score 70-66, but scored eight straight points, turning the score around to 74-70. Quimsa came close (74-72), but Flamengo ended up winning 78-72.
"Quimsa is one of the best teams in Argentina and we knew it would be a tough match, one that involves a fierce rivalry. I'm very happy not only with the victory, but also with the quality of play they displayed," said Flamengo coach Gonzalo Garcia, in his second match in charge of the team.
Forward/guard Marcelinho was another who left the court smiling. In addition to the victory, the star completed 200 official games in the sacred jersey.
"It was a great victory. We managed to distribute the plays very well, always using the best attacking options. Quimsa has improved a lot since the last time we faced each other (in the South American League, in November), so it was a great game," he said.
Point guard Hélio admitted that the team felt the altitude a bit:
"My throat is dry, I'm a little short of breath. But we managed to overcome it and win the match. Now it's time to think about the next game. This was just the first step," he said.
Flamengo is in Group C of the Liga de las Américas, which, in addition to the Argentines, also includes Mavort (EQU) and Español (CHI). A total of 16 teams, divided into four groups, are competing. Two teams from each group advance to the semifinals, and four will compete in the final. Flamengo has never advanced beyond the first round of the tournament, considered the most important on the continent.
WAGNER OUT OF THE DISPUTE
Power forward/center Wagner is out of the first phase of the Liga das Américas, which runs from January 11th to 13th. The player slipped during a dispute for the ball during Flamengo's first training session on Monday morning (January 10.01th) and has a suspected injury to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Wagner will undergo more detailed examinations when the team returns to Rio de Janeiro next Saturday (January 15.01th) and only then will it be known how long he will be out of action.
Flamengo started with: Marcelinho (17), Hélio (6), Teague (20), Teichmann (14) and Bábby (12). Entered: Átila (4), Fred (3), Duda (2), Guto (-).
Tuesday's game was marked by the Rio de Janeiro team's resilience. The team had to contend with the Ecuadorian city's altitude (2.200 meters) and the absence of injured forwards Jefferson and Wagner. Argentina's Lo Grippo led all scorers with 23 points. For Flamengo, American David Teague scored 20 points.
As in recent clashes between Brazil and Argentina, the game started evenly. Flamengo held the biggest lead in the first quarter: 19-14, but the deficit fell to one point by the end of the quarter: 23-22. Committing numerous errors, Flamengo felt the absence of Jefferson and Wagner. Without two key replacements, the remaining players were worn out. The first half ended tied: 36-36.
The game remained even in the second half. But this time, Quimsa pulled away further on the scoreboard: 41-45. Flamengo, however, took the lead 48-47 and closed the quarter at 55-53. In the final quarter, the grit and determination of the red-and-black players prevailed. The Rio de Janeiro team allowed the Argentines to score 70-66, but scored eight straight points, turning the score around to 74-70. Quimsa came close (74-72), but Flamengo ended up winning 78-72.
"Quimsa is one of the best teams in Argentina and we knew it would be a tough match, one that involves a fierce rivalry. I'm very happy not only with the victory, but also with the quality of play they displayed," said Flamengo coach Gonzalo Garcia, in his second match in charge of the team.
Forward/guard Marcelinho was another who left the court smiling. In addition to the victory, the star completed 200 official games in the sacred jersey.
"It was a great victory. We managed to distribute the plays very well, always using the best attacking options. Quimsa has improved a lot since the last time we faced each other (in the South American League, in November), so it was a great game," he said.
Point guard Hélio admitted that the team felt the altitude a bit:
"My throat is dry, I'm a little short of breath. But we managed to overcome it and win the match. Now it's time to think about the next game. This was just the first step," he said.
Flamengo is in Group C of the Liga de las Américas, which, in addition to the Argentines, also includes Mavort (EQU) and Español (CHI). A total of 16 teams, divided into four groups, are competing. Two teams from each group advance to the semifinals, and four will compete in the final. Flamengo has never advanced beyond the first round of the tournament, considered the most important on the continent.
WAGNER OUT OF THE DISPUTE
Power forward/center Wagner is out of the first phase of the Liga das Américas, which runs from January 11th to 13th. The player slipped during a dispute for the ball during Flamengo's first training session on Monday morning (January 10.01th) and has a suspected injury to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Wagner will undergo more detailed examinations when the team returns to Rio de Janeiro next Saturday (January 15.01th) and only then will it be known how long he will be out of action.
Flamengo started with: Marcelinho (17), Hélio (6), Teague (20), Teichmann (14) and Bábby (12). Entered: Átila (4), Fred (3), Duda (2), Guto (-).