FlaBasquete had its last match of the sequence of three away games against São Paulo teams on Thursday night (12.02). The Rubro-Negro faced Palmeiras in the 23rd round of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), in a match that carries all the weight of the rival teams' jerseys.

In one of those breathtaking matches, Rubro-Negro secured, in the final seconds, its fifth consecutive victory in the competition, 89 to 85, and became the first team to win 200 games in the NBB, breaking yet another record.

As expected, the match against Palmeiras would be no different from the last two clashes against São Paulo teams. With the fans behind them, the green and white team promised to put up a tough fight, with some of the competition's best players behind them. On the other side, the Pride of the Nation was also looking for a win to close out their away series with three wins in three games, and that's how the first quarter unfolded. With all the consistency they've come to expect, Flamengo came out on top with Olivinha, Marquinhos, and Nico Laprovittola, closing the first half confidently at 21-17.

But in the second quarter, the game changed. The São Paulo team, pushed by the fans, found it necessary to change the game and, taking advantage of some mistakes by the Rubro-Negro, took the lead. Even with Palmeiras' advantage, José Neto's men didn't stop. Supported by Benite and Gegê, FlaBasquete closed the gap and closed the gap, ending the first half six points down, 37-43.

The third quarter arrived, and the game, already back-and-forth, only became more exciting. Herrmann, Marquinhos, and Laprovittola quickly restored the advantage to Flamengo. Despite taking the lead, it didn't provide Flamengo with a comfortable lead, as they constantly responded to the home team. With each point scored by one side, the other equalized. And so it continued until the end of the quarter, when, even with Orgulho da Nação winning 28-22, the game was tied at 65-65, in one of the best matches of NBB 7 so far.

The final minutes of the game were filled with excitement. On one side, the São Paulo team, driven by its fans, needed a win to climb the table. On the other, a Flamengo team also wanting a win to stay in the lead. But, in the end, the Red-and-Black experience prevailed. With the strength of the squad and excellent performances from Marquinhos, Benite, and Herrmann, the Pride of the Nation opened up a lead with three-pointers sufficient to secure the victory, albeit in the final seconds. Full time: Flamengo 89-85.

"It was a very difficult match. In fact, we're coming off a run of three very difficult games here in São Paulo. Today, our defense gave our attack a lot of strength, we moved the ball very well, and we managed to come away with the victory. We now have three weeks to train, get our team in order, and focus on getting more wins in the NBB and the Liga das Américas," analyzed winger Marquinhos.

1st Quarter: 21 to 17

2st Quarter: 16 to 26

3st Quarter: 28 to 22

4st Quarter: 22 to 20

Final Score: Flamengo 89 to 85 Palmeiras