Flamengo vs Franca: watch live (with images) - Champions League Americas Semifinal

The qualifying phase of the New Basketball Brazil (NBB) comes to an end this Saturday (19), and the three-time BCLA champion , Flamengo , already knows its opponent in the playoffs. Guaranteed to be the overall vice-leader of the competition, FlaBasquete will face Caxias do Sul , 16th place, in the round of 16.

With second place, Rubro-Negro will have home court advantage in all stages of the playoffs, except in a possible final against Minas , leader of the table and the only team above Flamengo in the standings. From this stage onwards, the series will once again be played in the best-of-five format.

The first clash between Flamengo and Caxias is scheduled to take place next week , possibly on Wednesday (23) or Thursday (24). The CBB will still officially announce the dates and times of the series.

In the regular season, the teams faced each other twice, with one victory for each side . Flamengo won at Maracanãzinho by 84 to 55, while Caxias won at home by 85 to 82. Despite the balance in recent history, the favoritism is largely red-black , and the expectation is a classification in up to three games , which would allow the team more time to rest before the quarterfinals.

TOWARDS THE 8TH NBB TITLE

The biggest champion in the history of the NBB with seven titles , Flamengo is looking to return to the top of the league after three seasons without lifting the trophy, including the runner-up position in the last edition. Already champion of the Super 8 Cup and current two-time BCLA champion, FlaBasquete can win all the main titles of the national calendar in 2024/25 .

In the first phase, FlaBasquete scored 60 points in 34 matches , with 26 wins and eight losses, achieving 76.5% success. The difference to Minas, in first place, was just three points .

THREE-TIME CHAMPION

Flamengo won its third Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA) title this Saturday (19) with a resounding victory over Boca Juniors by 83 to 57 and will compete in the Club World Cup in the category in the second half of the year.

Pushed on by a packed Maracanãzinho, Flamengo shone in the BCLA final — the "Libertadores of basketball" — and won the continental title with a resounding victory over Boca Juniors. Dominating from start to finish, the Rubro-Negro won 83-57 and secured a spot in the FIBA Club World Cup , which will be held in Singapore , on a date yet to be defined.

OVERWHELMING START AND TOTAL CONTROL

In the first quarter, Flamengo imposed its rhythm and opened up a large lead : 30 to 13, with Alexey standing out, who scored nine points. In the second period, the team maintained its good performance , especially on defense, and went into the break winning by 49 to 29.

After the break, the Argentine team reacted, but Mengão held on to the pressure and maintained the lead on the scoreboard: 60 to 45 at the end of the third quarter. In the last period, FlaBasquete regained control and confirmed the victory with authority in front of the fans.

THREE CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND PASSPORT TO THE WORLD CUP

With the title, Flamengo is crowned three-time continental champion. The team had already won the former Liga das Américas in 2014 and the Champions League of the Americas in 2021. On both occasions, Rubro-Negro also played in the Club World Cup .

This Saturday's victory marks the team's return to the top of South American basketball after finishing second in the previous edition. Now, the Pride of the Nation is preparing to represent Brazil and South America once again on the world stage . Before that, however, Mengão will be the key to continuing in the NBB .

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Gui Deodato: 16 points | 1 assist | 2 rebounds

Shaq Johnson: 15 points | 1 assist | 2 rebounds

Alexey Borges: 15 points | 6 assists | 4 rebounds

The Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA) final will be played this Saturday (19), at 9:10 pm, at the Maracanãzinho gymnasium, between Flamengo and Boca Juniors. The Brazilian team is seeking its second title in the continental tournament, while the Argentines aim to lift the trophy for the first time. The official broadcast will be made exclusively on the FIBA Basketball Champions League Americas channel on YouTube.

Flamengo secured its place in the final after beating Franca 91-67 on Friday (18) . The Rio de Janeiro team led the scoreboard from the start and demonstrated complete dominance, giving no chance to the opponent. The victory had a special flavor as it represented revenge against the São Paulo club, which had won the previous match in the NBB.

FLAMENGO'S RIVAL

On the other side, Boca Juniors arrives at the finals in high spirits after defeating Instituto de Córdoba, also from Argentina, in the semifinals. The Xeneize team is trying to win the BCLA title for the first time and end the recent hegemony of Brazilian clubs in the competition. The duel promises to be intense and of a high technical level.

Flamengo lifted the BCLA trophy in the 2020/21 season and was runner-up in the 2019/20, 2022/23 and 2023/24 editions. The tradition and experience in decisions place the Brazilian team as one of the favorites, but the expectation is for a balanced clash against the Argentines.

GOOD PUBLIC?

The presence of the fans will be a determining factor in pushing the red-black team towards yet another continental conquest. With the advantage of playing at home , Flamengo has an experienced squad that has been driven by good performances.