OLIVINHA, FLAMENGO'S IDOL, LEADS THE CAMPAIGN TO FILL MARACANÃZINHO IN THE MATCH AGAINST BOCA JUNIORS

Flabasquete is in the final of the NBB Opening Tournament. On the night of last Thursday (2), Rubro-Negro beat Unión Santa Fé, from Argentina, by 80 to 73, at Arena BRB Nilson Nelson, in Brasília , and guaranteed its place in the competition's decision. The final will be tomorrow, Saturday (4), at 8 pm, against Minas.

After the match against Unión, Alexey analyzed the team's performance and projected the rest of the season. " We're still finding our feet; it's normal to have these kinds of (tough) games at this point in the season . We haven't had much time to train together yet, due to the national team tournaments and the Intercontinental Championship," he said before concluding.

Alexey celebrates Flamengo's good moment: "We will continue working"

"We're getting better , that's what the Opening Tournament is for, to improve as a team so we can be in good shape when it's time to decide the championships. We'll keep working to achieve our best," concluded the Flamengo player.

MINAS WINS BRASILIA

On the other side of the bracket, Minas (KTO Minas) defeated Brasília Basquete in an intense duel filled with back-and-forth matches. The semifinals were balanced between defense and offense, but the Minas Gerais team prevailed in the decisive moments and secured a spot in the final. The victory reinforces the team's strong form and puts its strength to the test against Flamengo .

FINAL BETWEEN FLAMENGO AND MINAS

With solid campaigns, Flamengo and Minas Gerais arrive in high spirits for the final. Flamengo is banking on Alexey Borges' talent and perfect form so far , while Minas Gerais relies on collective strength and momentum to try to surprise.

Flabasquete showed strength again this Tuesday (30) by beating Pato Basquete 95 to 64, at Arena BRB Nilson Nelson, in Brasília, in the second round of the NBB Opening Tournament. The result guaranteed Rubro-Negro the leadership of Group B and classification for the semifinal of the competition.

With the victory, the Rio de Janeiro team will face Unión Santa Fé, from Argentina, this Thursday (2), at 5:30 pm. The match will have a special ingredient: the reunion of the red-black fans with the Argentine point guard Franco Balbi , ex-Flamengo and idol of the club.

ALEX NEGRETE SHINES

The star of the night was shooting guard Alex Negrete, who led the team with 25 points and 7 rebounds, leading the game. After the game, he emphasized the importance of collective performance and the work done alongside his teammates.

"I'm very happy with the result, with the performance we played. We're working hard together as a team. I believe we're doing things well , but we'll continue to focus on improving to reach the level we aspire to," said the Argentine.

Negrete also commented on adapting to the playing style of coach Sergio Hernandez , with whom he shares a nationality. According to him, the coach has prioritized a fast, vertical pace, which favors his characteristics on the court.

FLAMENGO AGENDA

With two wins in two games, Flamengo ends the group stage as undefeated leader and is already planning its next challenges. The semifinal against Unión Santa Fé takes place on Thursday (2), at 5:30 pm. If they advance, the team will return to the court on Saturday (4) for the final. If they lose, they will play for third place.

Flabasquete began its participation in the NBB Opening Tournament with a victory over Fortaleza by 87 to 71, on Monday night (29), at Arena BRB Nilson Nelson, in Brasília. The victory marks a good start in the pre-season competition and highlights the team's initial rapport.

Point guard Alex Negrete led the team with 18 points . Alexey Borges also stood out with 16 points and 7 assists, while power forward Kayo Gonçalves contributed 12 points and 4 rebounds.

ENGAGEMENT AND PREPARATION

After the match, Kayo Gonçalves emphasized the importance of the tournament for the squad's chemistry and cohesion. " This tournament will be very important for us to get some experience, to have more contact with the game. It's extremely important for us coming off the World Cup, which was a different kind of preparation ," he said before concluding.

" We're going to use these games to get to know each other better on the court and build the chemistry that will lead us to better results when the season starts ," said the Flamengo power forward.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT CHALLENGE

Flamengo returns to the court this Tuesday (30), at 5:30 pm, to face Pato Basquete, again at Arena BRB Nilson Nelson. Just like the debut, entry will be free and the broadcast will be provided by Metrópoles, on YouTube.