This Friday (15) Flamengo will have a giant challenge for the FIBA ​​Intercontinental Cup 2019. Austin Spurs (USA), winner of the last G-League, the American basketball development league, will be the Mais Querido's first opponent in the competition. The North Americans arrive in Rio de Janeiro as one of the favorites to win the tournament, and the Official Rubro-Negro Website made an analysis of the team led by coach Blake Aharn.  

AUSTIN SPURS

Founded in 2001, the Texas-based Austin Spurs will be the first G-League team to play a game on Brazilian soil. Affiliated with the San Antonio Spurs, the franchise is a two-time development league champion (2012 and 2018) and has featured NBA legends on its roster, such as Danny Green, Boban Marjanovic, Aron Baynes, and Jonathon Simmons. Some of Gregg Popovich's squad this season have also worn the Austin jersey, including Dejounte Murray, Bryn Forbes, Lonnie Walker IV, Davis Bertans, Drew Eubanks, and Chimezie Metu.

Walker IV and Metu played for the team this season, averaging 16,2 and 13,9 points per game, respectively. Eubanks, who averaged 17,2 points per game, has two years left on his contract with Austin. 

This season in the G-League, the Austin Spurs are only 9th in the Western Conference with 16 wins and 20 losses. 

CAST

The Austin Spurs bring a talented squad to Rio de Janeiro under the leadership of Blake Aharn. 

Point guards: Richard Travis Bader, Devon Bookert, Demetri McCamey, Cameron Rundles, Jordan Green. 

Wings: Maverick Rowan, Jeffrey Coby.

Power forwards:  DeJuan Blair, Josh Huestis.

Pivots: Amida Brimah. 

KEEP AN EYE ON THEM! 

Center DeJuan Blair is worth watching closely! After seven years in the NBA, with stints with the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards, Blair is in his second season in the G-League and has 7,4 points, 4,5 rebounds, and 1,5 assists, averaging 13,4 minutes of playing time in his 17 games with the Spurs. 

Amida Brimah will also be in the paint. The 25-year-old Ghanaian was an NCAA champion in 2015 with the Connecticut Huskies, a team from the University of Connecticut, alongside Shabazz Napier. The center, who stands out for his strong defense, won last season's championship with Austin and was named to the G-League All-Defensive Team. During the current edition of the competition, Brimah is averaging 3,2 blocks per game, leading all players in this fundamental. After 34 games played, Amida is averaging 8,4 points and 7,7 rebounds per game. 

SOCIAL MIDIA

Twitter: @austin_spurs

Instagram: @spurs_austin

Facebook: Austin Spurs

TICKETS

Tickets for the FIBA ​​Intercontinental Cup games are now available. are for sale on the websiteFans can purchase tickets individually or for the entire competition. FIBA ​​also offers free transportation to Arena Carioca, with matches taking place at four locations near the game venue: Shopping Metropolitano, Portal do Cidade Jardim, Shopping Rio 2, and Hortifruti Abelardo Bueno. 

The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo rely on resources from their sponsors – AmBev, Rede D'or, Furnas – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR), in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources originating from the Pelé Law.