Flamengo lost to Vasco da Gama 93-83 this Sunday in the Copa Avianca derby at Minas Tênis Clube. With this result, Flamengo is out of the competition's final. The team's top scorer was MJ Rhett, with 17, followed by Marquinhos (15) and Cubillan (12).

The derby was highly anticipated. Flamengo and Vasco were two of the teams that signed the most players this year, and the rivalry has only intensified in recent matches. For today's match, José Neto's team had the reinforcement of Olivinha, who returned to the team after recovering from a kidney stone extraction, but started on the bench. Flamengo took to the court with David Cubillan, Ronald Ramon, Marquinhos, MJ Rhett, and JP Batista.

The first quarter was all Vasco. Their rivals started better and managed to open a good lead early on, until Flamengo found its feet. Neto made some changes, bringing on Olivinha, Marcelinho, and Pecos, and the team gradually found its feet. Ramon provided the team's best individual moments. But the lead, which reached 13, was still significant, and Vasco worked the ball hard, letting time pass. The "Mais Querido" (Flamengo's Favorite) remained patient and chipped away at the points play by play. Marquinhos, one minute from the end, hit a three-pointer to reduce the deficit to eight (20-12). This attitude paid off, and by the end of the quarter, only seven points separated the teams (21-14 Vasco).

The second quarter began with Marcelinho scoring two points for Flamengo, reducing the deficit to five (21-16 Vasco). However, the team failed to gain momentum and saw their rivals hit three consecutive long shots, increasing the lead to 31-16. Vasco capitalized on this momentum, and the lead continued to grow, reaching 20 points with 2:40 remaining in the half. Flamengo worked the ball again to reduce this long gap, closing the first half with a 15-point deficit (47-32). 

It was all or nothing after halftime. And Flamengo went all out. MJ, Marcelinho, and Cubillan built the score play by play. The team began to press the ball out and force Vasco into mistakes. It was on one such play that Pecos received the stolen ball and fired a three-pointer to close the deficit to eight. However, Vasco found the back of the net again and extended the lead to 12, a lead they maintained at the end of the half (68-56).

In the final quarter, Flamengo worked to keep the lead from growing beyond 11 and gradually reduce it. But with every point they scored, Vasco responded. And with numerous errors, the Red-Blacks failed to advance, suffering their second defeat of the competition.