Bosom enemies meet again in the League semifinals
The last two champions of the South American Cup, Flamengo and Quimsa, duel to reach another final
By From the official website team - in
A game of sworn enemies, where everyone knows each other and the rivalry is fierce. Worthy of the traditions of Brazil and Argentina and a South American League semifinal. This is how the duel between Flamengo and Quimsa, the last two champions of the competition, is expected to play out at 21 pm this Saturday (November 27.11) at the HSBC Arena. The winner will, once again, decide the League title. The team from Gávea has an added motivation in the duel: to equalize the head-to-head record with their Argentine counterparts.
In 2008-2009, Flamengo won the South American League in the heart of Santiago del Estero, at the Quimsa gymnasium. In the 2009-2010 season, Quimsa prevailed in the first round, eliminating Flamengo and still winning the title. In this 2010-2011 edition of the competition, with Flamengo already qualified in the group stage, the Argentines also prevailed. In other words, Argentina has the upper hand in the historical record. It's time to equalize, says point guard Duda.
"These are two teams that know each other well. We've played them three times, all in Argentina, and now we'll play at home. It's time to draw this game. We know it will be a tough match; they have quality players, as do we, and it will certainly be a great game. We'll do everything we can to win and reach the final," he said.
Roman González, the Argentine center who won a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, is one of the standouts on the Argentine team and will obviously receive special attention from the big man Bábby, a key figure in the red-and-black paint. According to the number 66, the duel will be a real treat for basketball fans.
"He's a great player, a quality pivot, and we'll pay close attention not only to him but to the entire Quimsa team, which is very strong. However, we're not worried. We'll rest, eat well, and be well prepared psychologically for this. We also have excellent players who can face this challenge as equals," he assured.
Brazil vs Argentina - It's often said that winning is good, but beating Argentina is even better. Brasília, which faces Boca Juniors in the first semifinal, and Flamengo, which plays Quimsa, will have the opportunity to experience this. But star player Marcelinho Machado doesn't care about the opponent's nationality. According to him, the important thing is to go out on the court and win.
"There's no greater motivation than winning a title at home, with your fans. That alone is enough, regardless of the rivalry. Of course, a game against an Argentine team is different; they play differently, but we'll leave that to the fans. We have to go out on the court calmly, avoid any provocation, and strive for a place in the final," said the player, who points out that while a Brazilian final could be played, the decision could also be made by Argentina.
"We can have a Brazilian final just as we can have an Argentine final. There are no favorites. The six teams that came here have the potential to win the title. Now there are only four, and hopefully we can be among the two finalists. We know how Quimsa plays, they know us too, and whoever pays the most attention and makes the fewest mistakes will definitely win," added the number 4, who scored 41 points in the 2009 final against Quimsa.
Flamengo: Fred (Helio), Guto (Duda), Marcelinho, Teichmann and Bábby.
Quimsa: Treise, Massaro, Brown, Lo Grippo and González.
In 2008-2009, Flamengo won the South American League in the heart of Santiago del Estero, at the Quimsa gymnasium. In the 2009-2010 season, Quimsa prevailed in the first round, eliminating Flamengo and still winning the title. In this 2010-2011 edition of the competition, with Flamengo already qualified in the group stage, the Argentines also prevailed. In other words, Argentina has the upper hand in the historical record. It's time to equalize, says point guard Duda.
"These are two teams that know each other well. We've played them three times, all in Argentina, and now we'll play at home. It's time to draw this game. We know it will be a tough match; they have quality players, as do we, and it will certainly be a great game. We'll do everything we can to win and reach the final," he said.
Roman González, the Argentine center who won a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, is one of the standouts on the Argentine team and will obviously receive special attention from the big man Bábby, a key figure in the red-and-black paint. According to the number 66, the duel will be a real treat for basketball fans.
"He's a great player, a quality pivot, and we'll pay close attention not only to him but to the entire Quimsa team, which is very strong. However, we're not worried. We'll rest, eat well, and be well prepared psychologically for this. We also have excellent players who can face this challenge as equals," he assured.
Brazil vs Argentina - It's often said that winning is good, but beating Argentina is even better. Brasília, which faces Boca Juniors in the first semifinal, and Flamengo, which plays Quimsa, will have the opportunity to experience this. But star player Marcelinho Machado doesn't care about the opponent's nationality. According to him, the important thing is to go out on the court and win.
"There's no greater motivation than winning a title at home, with your fans. That alone is enough, regardless of the rivalry. Of course, a game against an Argentine team is different; they play differently, but we'll leave that to the fans. We have to go out on the court calmly, avoid any provocation, and strive for a place in the final," said the player, who points out that while a Brazilian final could be played, the decision could also be made by Argentina.
"We can have a Brazilian final just as we can have an Argentine final. There are no favorites. The six teams that came here have the potential to win the title. Now there are only four, and hopefully we can be among the two finalists. We know how Quimsa plays, they know us too, and whoever pays the most attention and makes the fewest mistakes will definitely win," added the number 4, who scored 41 points in the 2009 final against Quimsa.
Flamengo: Fred (Helio), Guto (Duda), Marcelinho, Teichmann and Bábby.
Quimsa: Treise, Massaro, Brown, Lo Grippo and González.