In a duel between NBB leaders, FlaBasquete ended up being defeated by Minas by 86 to 78 on Thursday night (11), at Arena UniBH, in Belo Horizonte. With the defeat, Rubro-Negro lost its 12-game unbeaten streak and ended up falling to second place in the national competition. It is worth noting that the two teams are tied in terms of performance, but the Minas Gerais team has the advantage in the head-to-head confrontation.

1st Bedroom
The match started off fiercely competitive. Minas took a two-point lead, but the Pride of the Nation responded quickly with a three-pointer from Scott Machado. The match started off intensely, but the scoring was low. The red-and-black defense worked well and made things difficult for the opponent. Devon Scott was fouled in the paint and converted both free throws. In a tight and evenly matched first quarter, Minas finished with a two-point lead: 21-19.

2st Bedroom
The Minas Gerais team managed to extend its lead early in the second period. Minas Gerais, on the other hand, wasn't performing well on three-pointers. Their opponents were far superior in this regard. American Devon Scott excelled in the paint, playing pivotal role very well and giving the opposing defense a hard time. With a little over two minutes remaining, Minas Gerais' lead reached 12 points. The home team went into halftime with a 49-37 lead.

3st Bedroom
Coming back into the third quarter, Minas continued their momentum and started scoring on offense. Minas' lead reached 19 points. Olivinha challenged for a ball in the paint, won the ball, and passed it to Gui Deodato, who sank a three-pointer. Minas was being very effective on three-pointers, making it difficult for Minas to react. At the end of the quarter, Minas fought back and closed the deficit to 13 points: 72-59.

4st Bedroom
In the final quarter, Minas maintained its early pace and opened up a lead again. The red-and-black team responded and closed the gap again. Gustavinho's team managed to adjust its defense but made some crucial mistakes on offense. Minas capitalized on this, closing out the game with an 86-78 victory.

Next challenge
The Pride of the Nation returns to the court on Saturday (13) to face Pato Basquete, at 17 pm, at the Sesi Pato Branco gym, for the third round of the NBB return leg.

Starting Quintet
Scott Machado, Gui Deodato, Loku Cuello, Marko Filipovity and Devon Scott.
Coach: Gustavo De Conti.