Flamengo came close to a comeback in the final period, but ended up losing to Nacional of Uruguay, 75-63, this Saturday (12/13), at the Ginásio 8 de Junio, in Paysandú, in the Rubro-Negro's debut match in Group B of the Basketball Champions League Americas 2025/26. The current champion of the tournament, the Rio de Janeiro team showed resilience, but suffered from poor performance in the third quarter and couldn't complete the recovery under the pressure of the Uruguayan fans.

The match began with great balance and strong defensive presence from both teams. Struggling to find good scoring opportunities, Flamengo improved in the final minutes of the first period, stringing together a 7-0 run and closing the quarter with a 16-14 lead. The first quarter also had a special moment with the return of Argentinian Franco Baralle, who returned to action after four months sidelined due to a fracture in his right ankle.

In the second quarter, Flamengo started better, with Alex Negrete taking the offensive lead by scoring six consecutive points. Nacional reacted by exploiting the game near the basket and balanced the action again. In another low-scoring quarter, Flamengo ended up losing 16-13, going into halftime with a minimal disadvantage: 30-29.

The third period represented Flamengo's most delicate moment in the game. With a stalled offense, execution errors, and little offensive fluidity, the team allowed Nacional to grow and open up a 17-0 lead. Flamengo's response came only in the final moments of the period, when Baralle converted a three-pointer and helped reduce the deficit to 53-40.

In the final quarter, Flamengo returned with a different approach, opting for a more aggressive defense and a more intense pace. The strategy worked: the team sped up the game, closed the gap on the scoreboard, and even reduced the difference to just two points, leading to a highly tense match. Even so, Nacional managed to reorganize in the decisive minutes and secured the victory.

Among Flamengo's individual standouts, Alex Negrete was the team's top scorer with 19 points and five rebounds, while Shaq Johnson contributed 18 points. For the Uruguayan side, American Connor Zinaich led the victory with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds, plus an efficiency rating of 29.

Flamengo returns to the court this Sunday (12/14) to face Obras, at 21:10 pm, for the second round of Group B of the BCLA.