Relive Flamengo's titles up until their unprecedented fifth NBB title
With this afternoon's trophy, Rubro-Negro establishes itself as the biggest champion of the national basketball competition
By Isabela Abirached - in
If last season Flamengo became the biggest champion in the history of NBB CAIXA with the fourth title, this Saturday (11) the team led by José Neto reaffirmed its superiority in Brazilian basketball by winning an unprecedented fifth title, crushing its opponent on the court. There are five titles in six finals played, in eight editions of the tournament.
Captain Marcelinho Machado is undoubtedly a key player in this retrospective: he lifted all five trophies. Right behind him are Olivinha, Marquinhos, and Gegê, who each have four gold medals. José Neto only missed the first victory, under Paulo Chupeta; the other four were under the guidance of the drawing board ace, who, not surprisingly, is the Brazilian national team's assistant coach.
This year, after a tough series against Bauru, the team once again proved itself worthy of the nickname it earned from the Flamengo fans: the Pride of the Nation. Flamengo defeated Bauru in Game 5 of the series by a score of no less than 100 to 66.
Relive each of Flamengo's four NBB championships:
NBB1: 2008-09
In the year that soccer won its sixth national championship, basketball also became Brazil's best. While the title on the field came in December, five months earlier, Flamengo, coached by Paulo Chupeta, became the first NBB champion. That Sunday, June 28, 2009, a packed HSBC Arena filled with over 15 people saw the Rio de Janeiro team defeat its biggest rival, Brasília, 76-68, winning the best-of-five final series 3-2.
The decisive matches were full of excitement, reaching the fifth game with open scores (Flamengo 81-74 Brasília / 71-81 / 99-78 / 78-82 / 76-68), with the fourth match going into overtime. Flamengo idol Marcelinho Machado was the top scorer in the fifth and final game of the finals with 27 points - and in the competition, with 1047 points.
Before the playoffs, the champion was already in the making: in the qualifying round, in 28 games, the Orgulho da Nação won 26 matches and lost only two, remaining undefeated for 24 consecutive matches. In the playoffs, the team closed out the quarterfinal and semifinal series 3-0, defeating Pinheiros and Joinville, respectively. Off the court, in the stands, the Nação Rubro-Negra put on a show, and the average attendance was comparable to soccer attendance averages.
NBB5: 2012-13
After three seasons watching rival Brasília lift the NBB trophy (photo: LNB), Flamengo returned to winning ways in the fifth edition of the championship. That year, the final was a single game, and, with the best record in the competition's qualifying phase, Flamengo earned home-court advantage in the final and gained an important advantage in its quest for the trophy: the Sixth Player in the stands.
With a beautiful celebration by the Red-Black Nation that packed the HSBC Arena, the team, now led by José Neto, defeated Universo 77-70 and became the two-time champion. Then-Red-Black center Caio Torres was the standout performer on the court, achieving a double-double with 23 points and ten rebounds, earning him the MVP of the match.
In the first quarter, Flamengo took the lead first, but saw the Minas Gerais team turn the score around in the final moments of the period. But with a flawless third quarter, the red-and-blacks went into the final period nine points ahead of their opponents. The team showed composure and maturity to manage the deficit in the final minutes of the match while the fans chanted "Two-time champion!"
NBB6: 2013-14
Just as in 2009 and 2013, the NBB season ended with a packed HSBC Arena and Flamengo crowned champions on May 31, 2014. In a thrilling match that was open until the final moments, Flamengo defeated Paulistano 78-73, to a thrilling and celebratory atmosphere from the fans, who made the stadium shake. In what was the most special season in Flamengo's history, the NBB trophy stood alongside the Carioca, Liga das Américas, and Intercontinental Cup trophies, proving that Flamengo won everything the team competed for in 2013/2014.
The teams fought hard, but victory only came in the final minutes, following a series of converted free throws by Laprovittola and Marcelinho, and a crucial rebound by Shilton. While the players sweated it out on the court with breathtaking plays, the fans did their part, pushing the Pride of the Nation to victory. With 16 points and four rebounds, American center Jerome Meyinsse was named MVP of the final.
In the qualifying round, Flamengo once again had the better campaign. With 26 wins in 32 games and only six losses, José Neto's men already warned their opponents that they would confidently enter the playoffs. After beating Bauru in the quarterfinals and Mogi das Cruzes in the semifinals, Flamengo confirmed their favoritism in the final against Paulistano, who finished second in the qualifying round that year.
NBB7: 2014-15
This time, the title celebration took place on the road. After crushing Bauru at home by 22 points in the first game of the best-of-three final series, Flamengo traveled to Marília, in the interior of São Paulo, to face the Bauru team, one win away from their fourth title. And sure enough: having been vastly superior in the first three quarters, Flamengo saw Bauru's late comeback in the final period, but won 77-67, capitalizing on the lead built in the opening 30 minutes. Argentina's national team point guard Nicolás Laprovittola was named MVP of the match, where he was Flamengo's top scorer with 19 points.
In the qualifying round, Orgulho da Nação didn't have the same consistency as last season, but managed to finish third in the table, which guaranteed a direct spot in the quarterfinals. The time to train while other teams competed in the round of 3 did José Neto's men good. After a thrilling series against São José, won 2-3, Flamengo defeated Limeira in the semifinals with a consistent 0-XNUMX victory and was full of confidence for the best-of-three final series against Bauru.
Check out the photo gallery of the fourth title.
NBB8: 2015-16
The two teams with the best performance in the qualifying round also finished as finalists in the tournament. And in the decisive best-of-five series, the teams' positions prevailed: Flamengo won and Bauru finished runner-up. Flamengo opened the series with an away win but lost the second game, in Rio de Janeiro. José Neto's men turned the tables in Game 3, also at home, cheered on by the packed crowd at Arena Carioca 2.
In Game 4, Bauru leveled the scores again, boasting a high percentage of three-pointers from their opponents. Back in Rio de Janeiro for Game 5—a right Flamengo earned for having the better qualifying campaign—the red-and-blacks capitalized on home advantage, overwhelming their opponents with an impressive 100-66 victory and claiming another trophy, in front of the Nação Rubro-Negra, whose tickets sold out in less than 48 hours.
See the PENTA photo gallery!
Captain Marcelinho Machado is undoubtedly a key player in this retrospective: he lifted all five trophies. Right behind him are Olivinha, Marquinhos, and Gegê, who each have four gold medals. José Neto only missed the first victory, under Paulo Chupeta; the other four were under the guidance of the drawing board ace, who, not surprisingly, is the Brazilian national team's assistant coach.
This year, after a tough series against Bauru, the team once again proved itself worthy of the nickname it earned from the Flamengo fans: the Pride of the Nation. Flamengo defeated Bauru in Game 5 of the series by a score of no less than 100 to 66.
Relive each of Flamengo's four NBB championships:
NBB1: 2008-09
In the year that soccer won its sixth national championship, basketball also became Brazil's best. While the title on the field came in December, five months earlier, Flamengo, coached by Paulo Chupeta, became the first NBB champion. That Sunday, June 28, 2009, a packed HSBC Arena filled with over 15 people saw the Rio de Janeiro team defeat its biggest rival, Brasília, 76-68, winning the best-of-five final series 3-2.
The decisive matches were full of excitement, reaching the fifth game with open scores (Flamengo 81-74 Brasília / 71-81 / 99-78 / 78-82 / 76-68), with the fourth match going into overtime. Flamengo idol Marcelinho Machado was the top scorer in the fifth and final game of the finals with 27 points - and in the competition, with 1047 points.
Before the playoffs, the champion was already in the making: in the qualifying round, in 28 games, the Orgulho da Nação won 26 matches and lost only two, remaining undefeated for 24 consecutive matches. In the playoffs, the team closed out the quarterfinal and semifinal series 3-0, defeating Pinheiros and Joinville, respectively. Off the court, in the stands, the Nação Rubro-Negra put on a show, and the average attendance was comparable to soccer attendance averages.
NBB5: 2012-13
After three seasons watching rival Brasília lift the NBB trophy (photo: LNB), Flamengo returned to winning ways in the fifth edition of the championship. That year, the final was a single game, and, with the best record in the competition's qualifying phase, Flamengo earned home-court advantage in the final and gained an important advantage in its quest for the trophy: the Sixth Player in the stands.
With a beautiful celebration by the Red-Black Nation that packed the HSBC Arena, the team, now led by José Neto, defeated Universo 77-70 and became the two-time champion. Then-Red-Black center Caio Torres was the standout performer on the court, achieving a double-double with 23 points and ten rebounds, earning him the MVP of the match.
In the first quarter, Flamengo took the lead first, but saw the Minas Gerais team turn the score around in the final moments of the period. But with a flawless third quarter, the red-and-blacks went into the final period nine points ahead of their opponents. The team showed composure and maturity to manage the deficit in the final minutes of the match while the fans chanted "Two-time champion!"
NBB6: 2013-14
Just as in 2009 and 2013, the NBB season ended with a packed HSBC Arena and Flamengo crowned champions on May 31, 2014. In a thrilling match that was open until the final moments, Flamengo defeated Paulistano 78-73, to a thrilling and celebratory atmosphere from the fans, who made the stadium shake. In what was the most special season in Flamengo's history, the NBB trophy stood alongside the Carioca, Liga das Américas, and Intercontinental Cup trophies, proving that Flamengo won everything the team competed for in 2013/2014.
The teams fought hard, but victory only came in the final minutes, following a series of converted free throws by Laprovittola and Marcelinho, and a crucial rebound by Shilton. While the players sweated it out on the court with breathtaking plays, the fans did their part, pushing the Pride of the Nation to victory. With 16 points and four rebounds, American center Jerome Meyinsse was named MVP of the final.
In the qualifying round, Flamengo once again had the better campaign. With 26 wins in 32 games and only six losses, José Neto's men already warned their opponents that they would confidently enter the playoffs. After beating Bauru in the quarterfinals and Mogi das Cruzes in the semifinals, Flamengo confirmed their favoritism in the final against Paulistano, who finished second in the qualifying round that year.
NBB7: 2014-15
This time, the title celebration took place on the road. After crushing Bauru at home by 22 points in the first game of the best-of-three final series, Flamengo traveled to Marília, in the interior of São Paulo, to face the Bauru team, one win away from their fourth title. And sure enough: having been vastly superior in the first three quarters, Flamengo saw Bauru's late comeback in the final period, but won 77-67, capitalizing on the lead built in the opening 30 minutes. Argentina's national team point guard Nicolás Laprovittola was named MVP of the match, where he was Flamengo's top scorer with 19 points.
In the qualifying round, Orgulho da Nação didn't have the same consistency as last season, but managed to finish third in the table, which guaranteed a direct spot in the quarterfinals. The time to train while other teams competed in the round of 3 did José Neto's men good. After a thrilling series against São José, won 2-3, Flamengo defeated Limeira in the semifinals with a consistent 0-XNUMX victory and was full of confidence for the best-of-three final series against Bauru.
Check out the photo gallery of the fourth title.
NBB8: 2015-16
The two teams with the best performance in the qualifying round also finished as finalists in the tournament. And in the decisive best-of-five series, the teams' positions prevailed: Flamengo won and Bauru finished runner-up. Flamengo opened the series with an away win but lost the second game, in Rio de Janeiro. José Neto's men turned the tables in Game 3, also at home, cheered on by the packed crowd at Arena Carioca 2.
In Game 4, Bauru leveled the scores again, boasting a high percentage of three-pointers from their opponents. Back in Rio de Janeiro for Game 5—a right Flamengo earned for having the better qualifying campaign—the red-and-blacks capitalized on home advantage, overwhelming their opponents with an impressive 100-66 victory and claiming another trophy, in front of the Nação Rubro-Negra, whose tickets sold out in less than 48 hours.
See the PENTA photo gallery!