Next Saturday (May 31.05st), at 10:10 am, in the big Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) final between Flamengo and Paulistano, power forward Olivinha and center Jerome Meyinsse will be the starting center for Flamengo. In his first season with Flamengo, Meyinsse already won the State Championship and the League of the Americas. Now, the team is looking for the triple crown. "This is the moment we've been waiting for and working towards all year. It's wonderful to finally be here, but the title hasn't been won; we still have a lot of work to do. Paulistano is a great opponent, and we'll have to give our best to have the chance to win the match," he said.

The 2,07'5" athlete says he's always played the No. XNUMX position. His physical stature ended up being the factor that most closely aligned him with the paint, ever since he was a kid. "I've always played center, ever since I started playing basketball as a kid... I was always the tallest kid, and the tallest kid always became the center (laughs). So, I adopted the position and learned to become the best center I could be," he said.

The match that secured Flamengo's spot in the NBB final, the fourth of the best-of-five series against Mogi das Cruzes, was a defining moment for Meyinsse. The red-and-black team reached a personal record for points in a single match: 34. The American says he had no idea how many points he had scored until the end of the match. "I didn't know I'd reached that mark until I saw the match report at the end of the game. I went out there to do my best, I didn't force the points; it just happened naturally. My teammates found me when I was free. It was a huge achievement for me, and I was very happy. And the most important thing was that we got the victory, which closed out the semifinal series. It was even better," he said.

Alongside Meyinsse will be another pillar of Flamengo's defensive scheme: Olivinha, the greatest rebounder in NBB history. The power forward said he follows his stats in the competition, a result of his on-court demeanor. "I really like the stats; I'm always following them. In these last few seasons, I'm happy to have been able to stand out, especially in rebounding, which has always been my hallmark, and even more so here at Flamengo. We have some players who score a lot of points, so I try to help as best I can, getting rebounds and making blocks. Fighting for every ball is my thing, and for me, there's no such thing as a loose ball; I try to be involved in every play," he assured.

Olivinha's excitement on the court is contagious. With every basket, rebound, block, or steal, you can see the player celebrating wildly. "I really throw myself at the ball, and if I manage to save it, I really celebrate. And I try to inspire my teammates in the same way. It's been working; last year was already very good, and this season could be the perfect season if we win the treble. I hope I can help Flamengo once again on Saturday in their quest for the title," he concluded.