After qualify for the semifinal stage of the League of the Americas, Flamengo has the challenge of defeating Franca next Saturday, at 16 pm, in the NBB. To maintain its unbeaten streak, the red-black team has options such as Gege, in great form. In turn, the point guard sees the Mais Querido's best weapon as an old acquaintance: the strength of the Nation.

 

"For me, the best place to play is wherever the fans are, no matter which arena. Tijuca (Tênis Clube) is our melting pot. The nation comes out in force to every game there, singing the whole time, and that's a stunning difference for us. It's clear that we play differently. It's always great to have the fans around," he commented.

 

The duel is nothing new for the team. In December 2012, the red-black basketball team beat Franca by 82 X 77, at the opponent's home. The game featured a great performance by the point guard Vitor BeniteIn this round, the São Paulo team is aiming for the top four after beating Tijuca. Flamengo returns to the national tournament after a marathon three-game stretch in Venezuela. For Gegê, the youth of the opposing players explains their strong campaign:

 

"The Franca team opted for a very young squad at the beginning of the season, and it's paying off. I think the team has gelled well, so much so that they have the best defense in the league, and we have to repeat what we did in our last away game against them. It was balanced from start to finish, with their defense very strong and attacking well. They're a young team, but they've grown a lot this early in the season. So, it's a match where we can't give our defense any chances and we need to play strong, at our own pace. We know their strength and we have to enter with the same attitude as in recent games. That will be the most important thing for us to come away with the victory," he explained.

 

Age perhaps explains the improvement in the numbers of the red-and-black athlete, who is only 22 years old. In 20 games played this season, he has a conversion rate of 30.77% on three-pointers (a rate above his career average by exactly 30%) and 81.48% on free throws (his overall record was 72.15%). These statistics are from NBB official website. 

 

And when the team plays well, everyone thrives, regardless of experience. The point guard is only playing his second season in the NBB and has already faced challenges such as the absence of key teammates. When revealing the secret to his consistency, Gegê echoes coach José Neto's line of thinking: relying on the strength of the group. "The team is very focused on continuing to win and remain united, and I think the injuries to some key players like Marcelinho and Kojo aren't affecting the group's performance as a whole. After all, everyone on the roster knows their role within the team is the same: to help Flamengo." 

 

And it's based on this unity that the fans want to see the unbeaten streak continue. If the song says the fans will be wherever the team is, Gegê promises that the enthusiasm won't be lacking when basketball plays.

 

"Our pace is very intense, and that's reflected in the results of the games. We're managing the matches well and imposing that pace from the start. When our team isn't complete, it interferes with the rotation on the court, which benefits our rest during the match, but we can't think about that. We always go in focused on giving our best, and I see that everyone is prepared for that. Our preseason was very intense in physical training, in the gym, and it's very important for us to stay in shape. Everyone knows what needs to be done, and the whole team is united in pursuit of the same goal: victory," he says.

 
Flamengo and Franca play at Tijuca Tênis Clube at 16 p.m. Ticket offices open two hours before the match, and members can already purchase their tickets. Full-price tickets are R$30, and half-price tickets are R$15 (valid for children under 12, seniors, and fans wearing the club's jersey). Wherever basketball is, the nation promises to be there to play along.

game of stars
Point guard Duda will represent Mais Querido in the 3-point basket elimination round game of stars. The dispute will take place during the half-time break.