Nobody said it would be easy. And a final never is. Botafogo suffered a heavy defeat at home, but Flamengo had a superior squad, more talent, and decisive players. In the end, the red-and-black favorite made all the difference and emerged champion at General Severiano, defeating their rivals 83-73. It was Flamengo's thirteenth consecutive title in Rio de Janeiro, the 44th in history, an all-time record in the Rio de Janeiro arena.

It was a game where the last NBB MVP showed up at just the right time, right at the end. When the score was tight, Marquinhos stepped up twice in the final quarter and sealed the victory. Other players also played a key role, including Deryk, who scored 14 points, and Rafael Mineiro, with 13.

The impeccable campaign, with 10 wins in 10 games, demonstrated the Flamengo's dominance in Rio de Janeiro. Botafogo was a valiant opponent, but the quality of Gustavo De Conti's team once again prevailed. Now, Flamengo fans can celebrate another trophy in the gallery, kicking off the 2018-2019 season with a bang.

The game

The first quarter of the match showed a scenario very similar to the previous one. Flamengo, with greater quality, opened a six-point lead and maintained that level. But, supported by their fans, Botafogo was more aggressive on offense, finishing plays better, and with a better defensive system, which prevented several Flamengo attacks. However, the strength of pivots Varejão and Nesbitt made the difference in attack, especially number 17, who led the quarter in scoring with seven points. In the end, it was 19-12, and victory was closer.

The game changed in the second quarter. Botafogo was more accurate on the defense and grabbed the defensive rebounds they hadn't managed in the previous half. Cauê excelled in the paint, while the rest of the team didn't create any space for FlaBasquete's long-range shooters.

The quarter's score was also low compared to the previous one, and Flamengo fell behind from the start, only managing to turn the game around with a Rafael Mineiro dunk with 3:27 remaining. This was Flamengo's first lead in the quarter, reaching eleven points, but two consecutive attacks by Cauê reduced it to five. Gustavinho stopped the game. On the return, Davi missed his three-point shot, and time expired, with Flamengo ahead 38-32.

The three-pointer that didn't fall at the end fell on the first shot of the third quarter, with Jhonatan free. Botafogo's shots also began falling, closing the gap on the scoreboard, which remained at one point after Ansaloni's shot at 07:34, leaving the game at 45-44. Balbi responded with a follow-up three-pointer. Jamal attacked, was fouled, and converted the free throws. Two points were the difference. Balbi, after a great play by the team, opened up two more, but Ansaloni, again, pulled one back.

The third quarter was thrilling. Flamengo took the lead, Botafogo tied the game, and it remained that way until the end, when the scoreboard read 54-all and the clock hit zero. There were 10 minutes left until the final.

Botafogo came out swinging in the final quarter. Through Coelho and Thadius, they took a five-point lead early on, and Flamengo tried to close the gap with time and calm. Marquinhos, with 6:10, cut it to two from three. The deficit persisted, but Deryk, with a three-pointer at 4:50, tied the game at 68-68.

With two minutes remaining, the MVP appeared. Marquinhos took responsibility, took the ball, and drove to the basket. Flamengo scored two points, making it 74-71, and the Botafogo coach called a timeout. Marquinhos, once again, appeared. On his return, from three, he went up 77-71 with a minute remaining, practically silencing the gym.  Then it was a case of holding on to the result, extending the lead with the rival already beaten and celebrating the title. 

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.