Related to the classic, David Nesbitt shows anxiety about debuting for Flamengo
Bahamian power forward is in the team that faces Vasco, Saturday, at Tijuca Tênis Clube
By Lucas Dantas - in
The team is now complete. David Nesbitt has arrived at FlaBasquete and will play his first match this Saturday, against Vasco da Gama, at Tijuca Tênis Clube, at 17 pm. The power forward has resolved his bureaucratic issues and has been training normally privately. He is ready for the game, and coach Gusvato De Conti has already named him to the team that will play the third match in the State Championship. So far, Flamengo has played twice and won both.
"I'm fine, I've been training and I feel good. I'm ready to play. I've heard a lot of stories about Flamengo, the fans, the size of the club, and I'm really excited to play soon," said the 26-year-old player born in the Bahamas.
In the last NBB season, Nesbitt faced Flamengo twice for Paulistano. In the teams' debut in the competition, the São Paulo team won in São Paulo (72-67), and he was the team's top scorer with 13 points and four rebounds. In the return match, the number 25 was again essential in another Paulistano victory, 72-71, at Arena Carioca 1. With 13 points and eight rebounds, he was again the team's top scorer on the night Marquinhos scored 37 points. Nesbitt remembers that match and what he saw in the stands at Arena Carioca.
"Playing against Flamengo was intimidating. There were a lot of people, the fans were very loud. I liked the atmosphere. It gave a really good energy to play, and now I want that on my side," he said. Nesbitt will have the opportunity this Saturday, as Tijuca Tênis Clube will have only Flamengo fans. Rio de Janeiro State Championship matches are played with a single crowd.
David Nesbitt will join his Paulistano title-winning teammates on the team. In addition to coach Gustavinho, Deryk Ramos and Jonathan Luz also joined the Mais Querido. They will join Marquinhos, Olivinha, and Anderson Varejão, who remained on the roster for the season. Now, they will all join together as the new Flamengo team, aiming for its seventh national championship.
"I played with some of these guys last year, and now I'm going to meet some new ones. It's good to have a connection to start the work, even though I'm a little behind the rest of the team. Knowing them, I believe it will be a great year and I hope to play a lot with these guys," said the player, who summed up his mission at Rubro-Negro in one sentence: "I came to win."
Tickets
The State Championship will have a single fan base for the classics. Against Vasco, the red-and-black fans will be able to support FlaBasquete. Tickets for this and the other two games are being sold at https://www.guicheweb.com.br/flamengo.
The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – thinkseg, Estácio, 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 from the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.