It was difficult and disputed until the last second, but Flamengo managed to beat Minas 97-92 and secured a place in the semifinals of the Novo Basquete Brasil 10. With the right to extra time and a collective game that fit very well in the final stretch, Mais Querido set the Arena Carioca 1 on fire on the night of this Thursday (19). For José Neto, the group showed all the strength it has.

"It's their merit. I can't possibly instill that courage and determination in each of them. That's theirs. We won with great spirit, we believed in victory until the end, and that's why it happened this way. Things won't always go smoothly. However, if things don't go well and our team wins, it's a good achievement for the group. We have a strong team, not just in talent, but also in determination, balance, and composure," the coach analyzed.

"Minas earned a lot of credit. Their performance here was very good and better than they achieved throughout the entire championship. We can't take that away. We need to be even more determined to overcome this. Our team showed that it has other ingredients that can take us far in this championship," he added.

Decisive, Marquinhos shone in overtime and made the difference for Mais Querido in the final stretch. "We always think about winning. I have great confidence in all the athletes and know they're capable. I was at peace knowing Marquinhos' ability. He made mistakes early in the game, but he had the ability to decide the match in the end. I have a lot of confidence in them and in the merit of each of them," said Neto.

Flamengo now awaits the winner of the series between Mogi das Cruzes and Caxias do Sul, which currently leads the São Paulo team 2-0. The semifinals are scheduled to begin on April 30th.