"If I could pick 12 players to play on Saturday, it would be these 12 players."

José Neto, coach of the Flamengo basketball team. 

José Neto spent the entire season talking about his team's character. In victories, defeats, joys, and hardships, the FlaBasquete coach always emphasized this point. This Monday was no different. Neto saw his team enter the first half with a spirit worthy of the nation's pride, crushing Mogi das Cruzes on their side of the court and settling the score in favor of the Mais Querido. It was a tight game, but Flamengo always held the lead, focused on the result. 

For Neto, the victory was possible because Flamengo didn't focus on the series, but rather on these 40 minutes, and the first 20 specifically. As he's always said throughout the season, FlaBasquete takes it game by game, and today was no different. 

"I tell them a lot to think about the first half. It's not about the series. It's about thinking short-term, gathering energy to achieve success and move on to the next one. In the first half, they gave their all. There's still a lot in their favor, but what motivates me, and motivates this team, is overcoming adverse situations. We, there, will also think about the victory. Not the series, we'll think about the victory, like today, and that's how we'll go there," said Neto after the game.

In the first two matches, the Flamengo's performance was marked by poor offensive performance. Their efficiency was well below the team's average, weighing heavily in favor of the São Paulo team. Today, the scenario was different. In the first quarter alone, they achieved a 60% success rate on two-point shots. In the second, the ball was fired in from distance. For Neto, this was the Flamengo he's used to seeing. 

"I really believe in theory. I really believe in technique and style of play, but I also really believe in spirit. I think what was unusual was the moment in the first few games. Caused, of course, by Mogi's tactics, but I have to praise our team and its ability to overcome an adverse situation. Those games were unusual, not this one," he explained. 

For this match, Neto had two days of work. Now, for the third game, he'll have four. The opponent is already well-known, but each game is different (NETO, José, in an entire season), and it's necessary to work and study how the team will perform for the final. 

"We'll analyze the game, how they reacted to our proposal, which was different today. We'll make adjustments, since their team is very intelligent. We'll see what we can adapt to know what elements we can use in the next match. But the focus will be on every minute of the next game. Nothing out of place, nothing out of place. Just the game and implementing what we agreed on," he concluded. 

The fourth chapter of the series is scheduled for Saturday, 14 pm, at the Hugo Ramos gym.