The final is here! Flamengo defeats Minas Gerais and is in the final of the U-18 Brazil Cup.
Gávea's kids fight from start to finish and decide the tournament this Saturday (20). against Pinheiros
By Victor Cachoeira - in
This Friday (19), FlaBasquete took an important step towards the title of the Brazilian Under-18 Basketball Cup. Facing Minas, the Crias da Gávea won by a score of 61 to 53 and secured a place in the tournament final. Matheusinho was the red-black's top scorer with 26 points.
The match started very evenly, with intense physicality from both teams. The Mais Querido's first points came from Lucas Aprigio. Although the opposing team started ahead, Ruan's plays allowed Flamengo to gain a foothold. With two baskets followed by three-pointers from Matheusinho, the Crias da Gávea took the lead at the end of the period, which ended 23-12.
In the second quarter, Flamengo opened its scoring with a dunk from center Ruan. With steals from Matheusinho and Assis, the Flamengo's superiority was revealed. With his calibrated hand, Aprigio became a constant target for his teammates' passes, and FlaBasquete extended its lead. At the final whistle, the score was 38-27.
After the break, the Crias' pace was intense. Led by Matheusinho, and with the introduction of Igor Gabriel, the Red-Blacks traded points with their opponents, maintaining the lead. At the end of the period, they were 14 points ahead of Mengão.
In the final half of the match, the two teams continued exchanging shots. While the Minas Gerais team tried to rally, Flamengo capitalized on Aprigio and Matheusinho's good form to respond. With a fight to the finish, the long-awaited final whistle blew. With a 61-53 score, Flamengo qualified for the final of the Brazilian Under-18 Club Cup.
The Crias da Gávea team takes the court for the final time of the championship this Saturday at 20 p.m., for the grand final against Pinheiros. On the verge of winning the national title, Flamengo is preparing in the best possible way for the most important moment of the season.
Game highlights
Matheusinho - 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists
Lucas Aprigio - 19 points
Ruan - 10 points and 11 rebounds
The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – thinkseg, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, and EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and the State Incentive Law/Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Sports, Recreation, and Youth (Seelje), in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources generated by the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.