Gustavo De Conti analyzes Austin Spurs and says: 'I have a lot of confidence in the players we have'

The coach also spoke about the preparation and the importance of experienced players in the squad.

By Mariana Sa - in 15/02/2019 às 12:39

Flamengo is ready to pursue its second World Cup title. This Friday (15), the "Mais Querido" (the most beloved team) takes to the court to host Austin Spurs, at 21 pm, at Arena Carioca 1. For Gustavo De Conti, the Intercontinental Cup is unlike anything he has ever experienced. With experienced players in the squad and a strong desire to lift another trophy, the red-black coach and his players will go all out for victory at home.

"We're already seeing that everything is very different, especially this last week after the All-Star Game. We're back training now and we've seen that the organization is already different. They're going to put a big screen in the Arena, they've renovated the floor and the backboard. You can already tell that something out of the ordinary is going to happen. Then there was the news that there would be free transportation for the fans. It's all good things. People are coming from abroad, the Nation is mobilizing, the organization and Arena are getting better. This motivates us even more and makes us anxious for the day of the match. It has everything to be a success," the coach praised.

The Rubro-Negro's first opponent will be the Austin Spurs, a team that comes straight from the G-League, the North American basketball development league. Faced with a tough matchup, Gustavinho believes Flamengo has a chance of advancing to the final. "We've been mapping the Spurs for some time, but it's difficult because they're practically San Antonio's second team (in the NBA). So they can go there at any time to pull someone. Even with frequent player changes, we've managed to study around 23 players. We'll definitely find a very athletic team, one that plays physically and with individual quality. Perhaps the tactical aspect isn't the main one because they have a lot of turnover, but it's undoubtedly very tough, with young players looking for a place in the first team. I have a lot of confidence in the players we have, in their experience not only to play in the World Cup, but to face North Americans like this. Anderson and Marquinhos have already played in the NBA, others have already tried out in the G-League. I have a lot of confidence in them," he stated.

Competing in the 2019 FIBA Intercontinental Cup wasn't in the initial plans for the season. However, invited by FIBA to represent Rio de Janeiro as the last Brazilian team to win the Liga das Américas and the World Cup, both in 2014, Mengo saw the opportunity to win another important title in its history.

"Since we're at Flamengo, we have opportunities all the time. So we prepare ourselves without even realizing it sometimes. We play in the NBA against Orlando, a South American, the Super 8. We're constantly being prepared. Training itself works like this, because the intensity helps with that. We're not the favorite team; we haven't made one-off signings like them, nor do we have a large number of foreign players. We have a great ability to overcome these times; we've already shown that we're a team that can reach the final stretch. I have great confidence in our ability to overcome them because, even though we're not favorites, I know we can prevail. We're well prepared, training well, playing well. We can surprise and win this second championship," said Gustavo De Conti.

In 2014, Olivinha and Marquinhos took the World Cup trophy home with the Sacred Mantle. Another person with experience in this field is Rafael Mineiro, who has already played on two occasions. Before taking the court, the players were able to talk and share a little about what it's like to face such a grand tournament. "They're already sharing this experience. I see conversations all the time. Olivinha and Marquinhos are two of the most motivated to play in this competition. If they're like this when they've already won, imagine those who haven't played yet. We can't wait to get started. They're both helping a lot, even though they're playing on different teams and in a different format. Anderson is also helping a lot with his NBA knowledge, and Franco is helping with the Argentine team. So we have some very special players, and each one is making their own contribution," explained the coach.

Finally, Gustavo analyzed the opponents individually. "We studied Spurs more, but we've also looked at the other two teams. I believe they're quite different, as they prioritize physicality and individual play. There are important tactical situations, but you usually see isolation, one-on-one, two-on-two. They're the more physical team. San Lorenzo and AEK are similar, with local players with great technique, big strengths. They prioritize tactics, are very organized, work the ball more, and defend strongly. They also have North Americans who will make the difference in attack when necessary," he concluded.

Tickets for the FIBA Intercontinental Cup games are now on sale on the website. Fans can purchase tickets individually or for the entire competition. FIBA also offers free transportation to Arena Carioca, with matches taking place at four locations near the game venue: Shopping Metropolitano, Portal do Cidade Jardim, Shopping Rio 2, and Hortifruti Abelardo Bueno.

The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – thinkseg, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, and EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and the State Incentive Law/Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Sports, Recreation, and Youth (Seelje), in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources generated by the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.