Dozens of matches in the regular season, both home and away. The top four teams in the qualifying round advance automatically to the quarterfinals, and the next eight teams decide the remaining four spots in the round of 16. Playoffs in best-of-five series determine the two finalists. The champion is then determined.

This was the path taken by Flamengo four times in the seven editions of the New Basketball Brazil (NBB), which accredited the Most Beloved as the greatest champion in the history of the competition - and once again, deserving of the nickname it earned from the red-black fans: the Pride of the Nation.

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.

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!"

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.

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 standings, which guaranteed a direct spot in the quarterfinals. The time to train while other teams competed in the round of 16 did José Neto's men good. After a thrilling series against São José, won 3-2, Flamengo defeated Limeira in the semifinals with a consistent 3-0 victory and was full of confidence for the best-of-three final series against Bauru.

Click here and check out an image gallery with all the NBB7 matches.