Flamengo faces two tough challenges in Espírito Santo
The team plays this Friday, at 19 pm, against Cetaf in Vila Velha
By From the Basketball press office - in
Despite the four positions separating Flamengo and Vila Velha/Cetaf in the standings, everyone in Gávea expects a very tough opponent this Friday at 19 p.m. at the Tartarugão gymnasium in Vila Velha (with broadcast on Sportv), in the first round of the second round of the Novo Basquete Brasil. Not even having won five of the last six matches in the competition, all against teams considered top teams, makes the red-and-black squad consider Flamengo the clear favorite.
Without being able to count on pivot Coloneze, who is still recovering from a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee, coach Paulo Chupeta may also be without point guards Hélio, with a plantar fascia in his right foot, and Dedé, who has again felt the injury to his right hand that kept him away from the courts for almost a month.
"Although we're in a much more comfortable position than them in the table, these two matches in Espírito Santo aren't going to be easy. Especially against Cetaf on Friday. I haven't had the whole group in hand for a while now and I'm having to manage injuries. I don't think Dedé will be fit to play, but I hope to be able to count on Hélio for at least a few minutes," said Chupeta.
One of the most demanded players in recent games with the injuries of Dedé and Hélio, point guard Fred agrees with the red-black coach and remembers that last season Flamengo was almost surprised.
"Playing there isn't easy. Since Flamengo has a lot of fans in Espírito Santo, the rivalry is fierce, and that's why the local fans turn out in droves for the games. I remember that last year, even playing with a full squad, we almost got into trouble in both matches," recalled the Flamengo point guard, who lamented the numerous injuries that have occurred at the start of the season.
"Any player who is out is a huge loss to our team. Our strength lies precisely in our team. Each player is very important to this squad, and whenever one is out, we experience a lot of difficulties."
The team's top scorer this season, captain Marcelinho believes in two away wins, but emphasizes the balance of the championship.
"Of course, we have all the conditions to win two away games, but we've already seen some proof in this competition that no team wins on name alone. We have to go out on the court and play better than our opponents to win, especially since we're without some key players," warned Marcelinho.
Despite Flamengo's ups and downs in recent matches, the winger believes that the red-and-black team starts the second half of the season in a very comfortable position in the league table and has everything it needs to get going in the final stretch of the competition.
"Of course, we fluctuated a lot in this first round and we know we need to fix a lot of things. But even with so many problems, we finished third in the table, tied with three direct competitors. Our advantage is that we will face all of them at home in the second round, which puts us in the fight to finish the qualifying phase in first place and have home court advantage in our favor until the final," he concluded.
FLAMENGO – Fred (Helio), Marcelinho, Jefferson, Duda and Alírio
João Goulart Municipal Gymnasium - Tartarugão – Address: Itaiaba Street, s/n, Coqueiral de Itaparica, in Vila Velha
Without being able to count on pivot Coloneze, who is still recovering from a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee, coach Paulo Chupeta may also be without point guards Hélio, with a plantar fascia in his right foot, and Dedé, who has again felt the injury to his right hand that kept him away from the courts for almost a month.
"Although we're in a much more comfortable position than them in the table, these two matches in Espírito Santo aren't going to be easy. Especially against Cetaf on Friday. I haven't had the whole group in hand for a while now and I'm having to manage injuries. I don't think Dedé will be fit to play, but I hope to be able to count on Hélio for at least a few minutes," said Chupeta.
One of the most demanded players in recent games with the injuries of Dedé and Hélio, point guard Fred agrees with the red-black coach and remembers that last season Flamengo was almost surprised.
"Playing there isn't easy. Since Flamengo has a lot of fans in Espírito Santo, the rivalry is fierce, and that's why the local fans turn out in droves for the games. I remember that last year, even playing with a full squad, we almost got into trouble in both matches," recalled the Flamengo point guard, who lamented the numerous injuries that have occurred at the start of the season.
"Any player who is out is a huge loss to our team. Our strength lies precisely in our team. Each player is very important to this squad, and whenever one is out, we experience a lot of difficulties."
The team's top scorer this season, captain Marcelinho believes in two away wins, but emphasizes the balance of the championship.
"Of course, we have all the conditions to win two away games, but we've already seen some proof in this competition that no team wins on name alone. We have to go out on the court and play better than our opponents to win, especially since we're without some key players," warned Marcelinho.
Despite Flamengo's ups and downs in recent matches, the winger believes that the red-and-black team starts the second half of the season in a very comfortable position in the league table and has everything it needs to get going in the final stretch of the competition.
"Of course, we fluctuated a lot in this first round and we know we need to fix a lot of things. But even with so many problems, we finished third in the table, tied with three direct competitors. Our advantage is that we will face all of them at home in the second round, which puts us in the fight to finish the qualifying phase in first place and have home court advantage in our favor until the final," he concluded.
FLAMENGO – Fred (Helio), Marcelinho, Jefferson, Duda and Alírio
João Goulart Municipal Gymnasium - Tartarugão – Address: Itaiaba Street, s/n, Coqueiral de Itaparica, in Vila Velha