Flamengo plays a game of pure grit and technique, defeats Mogi and takes the semifinal to the fourth game.
Olivinha achieves another double-double and Arthur Pecos ignites an explosive match for the Pride of the Nation
By Lucas Dantas - in
Not here. Not at Arena Carioca, again. On Monday night, Flamengo was gigantic, dominant, and in control of the match. With a performance of great grit and unity, Flamengo defeated Mogi das Cruzes 71-64 and reduced the São Paulo team's lead in the NBB semifinal series. It wasn't easy, and it couldn't be. But that's how great teams behave. Flamengo led the scoreboard for almost the entire match, but couldn't break away. Their biggest lead was eight points in the third quarter. But while they didn't take off, they also didn't suffer from the back foot. The defense worked to thwart the opposing attack, and their scoring performance was much higher than in the first two matches.
The night began with us. Varejão won the ball in the air, and Olivinha opened the scoring with a rebound. On the next play, the same number 16 grabbed another rebound and scored two more, drawing a foul. The Arena Carioca was throbbing with Flamengo. Mogi's attack saw Marquinhos grab the rebound and pass to who? Olivinha. Another two. Tyrone hit a three-pointer to put Mogi ahead. Flamengo attack, rebound, Olivinha. Another two points.
"Let the party begin!" chants echoed from the stands. Olivinha was the best player on the court, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the first 10 minutes alone, with every play going through him. With Mogi leading, Olivinha grabbed a rebound, crossed the court, passed to Marquinhos, received the ball back, and made it 16-15. The lead held, and we finished the half ahead 18-17.
The second quarter started hotly. Wanting to maintain the lead, JP Batista started scoring for the Pride of the Nation. Marquinhos extended the lead with a three-pointer. Rhett doubled as Olivinha, securing the rebounds in the paint. Pecos also fired a shot from distance and scored. It was a Flamengo team fired up, furious, and full of red-and-black blood. Playing for their lives on the court. Few errors, their efficiency was already at 60% and rising. But they didn't let go. With a good three-point efficiency, Mogi stayed close throughout the game.
The pace of the game was electric. The teams used the 24 seconds, but they moved the paint quickly due to the intense defense. With 1:20 remaining, Neto sent Varejão, Marquinhos, and Olivinha to the court. And it was Pecos, again, who hit a three-pointer from deep to open up a five-point lead (38-33), crucial to ending the first half with a 38-35 lead.
The second half came back and Marquinhos was Marquinhos. From three, he made it 41-35. Flamengo had its best defensive performance of the match in that half. They only scored 15 points. Olivinha reached his double-double, and Mengão kept Mogi Mogi away. Marquinhos and Ramon combined for more than half the team's points. The support from the stands was explosive, and the team on the court thrived on it. And when Flamengo plays with the stands behind them, no one can stop them.
There were 10 minutes left to finish and consolidate the result. But the Pride of the Nation, wounded at the start of the game, wanted more. They wanted to show that five NBB titles weren't for nothing. The gap grew wider. The opponent realized that tonight wouldn't be possible. There was no more duel. There was an impossible Flamengo on the court, ready to show Brazil the strength of the CRF in their chest. MENGO roared from the Arena. Never had it heard a crowd so loud as that night. Arthur Pecos was everywhere, shooting from anywhere and scoring, grabbing rebounds, showing off, and multiplying the number 23 jersey on the court. And Olivinha. Ah, it's Olivinha. It's always Olivinha. With a minute left, he got the ball, stopped, thought, hit the floor, and decided to make the basket. He invaded the paint as if a herd of Olivinhas were trampling anyone in front of them, and scored 69-62 on the scoreboard. Eighteen points and 12 rebounds. Say what?
The victory came. Close, yes, but incredibly valuable. In basketball, the impossible doesn't exist. Nothing is set in stone. Saturday, in Mogi das Cruzes, we'll see the fourth chapter of this story. You have to believe!
The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – thinkseg, Estácio, 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 from the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.