Done deal! Kayo Gonçalves is the new reinforcement of FlaBasquete

After winning the third championship of America , FlaBasquete turned its attention to the NBB playoffs and did well ! In the first game of the round of 16, the Pride of the Nation imposed its rhythm on the court and easily beat Caxias do Sul by 98 to 52 , this Wednesday (23), at the Sesi-RS gym. With 17 points, Jhonatan Luz was the highlight of the match. The second game of the best-of-five series takes place next Sunday (27), in Rio de Janeiro.

HIGHLIGHTS

Jhonatan Luz – 17 points;

Jordan Williams – 13 points;

Gui Deodato – 12 points;

Lucas Siewert – 12 points.

1st Bedroom

The first three points of the game came from Kayo Gonçalves. Then, it was Jordan Williams' turn to convert a three-pointer. The Pride of the Nation controlled the action in the first minutes, opening up a good lead on the scoreboard. In the second half of the quarter, Caxias found more space and reduced the difference a little. FlaBasquete closed the first period winning by five points: 20 to 15.

2nd Bedroom

In the second quarter, the red-and-black team continued to stay ahead, not allowing the home team to get any closer . On the court, Jhonatan Luz entered the game well and hit four three-pointers in the first half of the period, leading the scoring rankings of the match. On his first shot, Gui Deodato converted from the perimeter to score three more points for Mengão. With great use of three-pointers, the Pride of the Nation opened up an advantage, going into the break winning by 49 to 33.

3rd Room

In the third quarter, FlaBasquete continued to dominate the action, mainly exploring infiltration plays in the paint. Jordan Williams received a free throw for a three-pointer and the ball fell. If the red-and-black attack worked, the defense also proved to be solid, managing to neutralize Caxias' plays, which went more than half a period without scoring. The Pride of the Nation closed the period with an even bigger advantage: 73 to 35.

4th Room

In the last quarter, Jhonatan Luz returned to the game and scored another three-pointer, reaching 17 points. With a large advantage on the scoreboard, the red-and-black team felt comfortable on the court and continued to have great success in three-pointers. In the final minutes, FlaBasquete managed the huge advantage, won 98 to 52 and took the lead in the first game of the NBB round of 16.

NEXT CHALLENGE

The Pride of the Nation returns to the court on Sunday (27) to face Caxias do Sul again, at 11 am , at the Tijuca Tênis Clube gym, for the second game of the NBB round of 16.

Starting quintet

Alexey, Shaq Johnson, Jordan Williams, Kayo Goncalves and Ruan Miranda.

Coach: Sergio Hernandez.

After winning the BCLA championship for the third time — the " Libertadores of basketball " — with an impressive victory over Boca Juniors (ARG), Flamengo returns to the court this Wednesday (23) to begin its journey in the playoffs of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) 2024/25. The duel against Caxias do Sul, valid for the round of 16, takes place at 8:30 pm (Brasília time), in Rio Grande do Sul.

The match will be broadcast live on the SporTV channel (pay TV), as well as on FlaTV+ , on YouTube , which will also show the direct NBB clash.

NBB PLAYOFFS FORMAT

The NBB round of 16 follows the best-of-five series format, as do the following stages — quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The eight best-placed teams from the regular season face the eight worst-placed teams that advanced to the next stage.

In the first phase, Flabasquete finished with the second best campaign, winning 26 of the 34 games played - behind only Minas , which won 29 matches . Caxias do Sul, in turn, finished in 15th place, with 11 wins and 23 losses, being the penultimate team to qualify for the playoffs.

SCHEDULE FOR THE SERIES BETWEEN FLAMENGO AND CAXIAS DO SUL

• Game 1: 04/23 (Wednesday), at 8:30 pm – in Caxias do Sul
• Game 2: 04/27 (Sunday), at 11am – in Rio de Janeiro
• Game 3: 04/29 (Tuesday), at 8pm – in Rio de Janeiro
• Game 4 (if necessary): 02/05 (Friday), at 8pm – in Caxias do Sul
• Game 5 (if necessary): 05/05 (Monday), at 7pm – in Rio de Janeiro

Flamengo wants a win to end the series in three games, but Caxias will be looking for a possible upset . Whoever advances from this match will face the winner of the series between União Corinthians and Corinthians in the quarterfinals.

Winning the Champions League of the Americas last weekend marked not only another important title for Flamengo, but also a turning point in the career of Alexey Borges. Voted MVP of the competition, the point guard revealed that he has changed his way of seeing basketball in recent years and, today, plays with more tranquility, maturity and pleasure on the court.

MATURITY AS FUEL IN BASKETBALL

Alexey has stood out for his technical performance and the way he deals with pressure. At 28 years old, he says that his main motivation has always been to experience moments like the final against Boca Juniors. The difference now is in the way he faces these challenges: with more self-confidence. “Today, I am much more confident. I feel calm about playing, even knowing the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt,” said the point guard, a reference for the Mais Querido squad.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE THAT CATCHED ATTENTION

During the continental tournament, Alexey accumulated impressive numbers. In the semifinal against Franca, he scored 24 points and distributed nine assists. In the final, he had 15 points, four rebounds and six assists. He finished the competition with an average of 19.5 points, 7.5 assists and three rebounds in the two decisive games, in addition to leading the efficiency ranking with 21.7% .

Despite the seriousness with which he approaches the sport, Alexey emphasized that taking it easy while playing has been essential. According to him, this is one of the factors that explain his good moment . “I try to have as much fun as possible, as if I were playing in my backyard,” he said. The point guard has, so far, 452 points, 114 rebounds and 288 assists this season, numbers that prove his consistency.

In addition to his technical performance, Alexey has also established himself as one of the leaders of the red-and-black team. Coach Sérgio Hernández, known for valuing the mental aspect of his athletes, was full of praise for the point guard . “He is a very calm guy, but he helps a lot with the tactical side. He thinks about the game like a coach. For him, each match has the weight of a final,” he commented.