Flamengo delivers a devastating performance in the first quarter, defeats Franca in Pedrocao and returns to the top of the National Bank of Bahrain | nbb

With an overwhelming performance in the first quarter even away from home, Flamengo beat Franca 88-73 at the Pedrocao Stadium and returned to the top of the NBB for the 2023/2024 season.

Rubro-Negro dominated from the start of the match and relied on an inspired night from Gui Deodato, Balbi and Didi, as well as good defence, to overcome their opponents for the second time in the regular season and regain the lead.

Gui Deodato was the top scorer in the match with 23 points. On the French side, Marcio scored 15 points and was the team's top scorer.

With this victory, Flamengo achieved its 25th victory in 30 matches, achieving a success rate of 83.3% in the regular season of the national championship. Franca suffered his fifth defeat in 29 matches, with a performance rate of 82.75%, returning to second place.

In the next round, Franca will play at home again and face Vasco on Saturday at 5:10 p.m. Flamengo will face Paulistano in front of its fans on Tuesday, at 8 pm.

• First room: Franca 19 x 36 Flamingo
• Second room: Franca 20 x 16 Flamingo
• Third room: Franca 12 x 16 Flamingo
• Fourth room: Franca 22 x 20 Flamingo

The first half of the match witnessed technical errors by both teams, complaints to the referee, and many disputes inside the penalty area on both sides, with Flamengo taking advantage of the attack. In the middle of the period, when Rubro Negro was leading by seven points, Helenio Garcia stopped the game and reorganized the team, reducing the deficit to three, but saw the reaction slow as Flamengo reacted using the same strategy, in addition to good use of two-point baskets and important saves by the French players. Key players like Lucas Dias, who finished the quarter without scoring. At the end of the first ten minutes of the match, Flamengo led 36-19.

Gui Deodato's dominant Flamengo continued to extend the lead and with well-placed defence, forced Franco into errors. At the beginning of the second quarter, Lucas Dias committed a foul on Scott Machado, his fourth, and he remained suspended until the end of the match. Flamengo's attack continued to work well, with speed, strength and agility, and Franca's attack continued to face difficulties, but it improved in the last half, especially with Marcio. Despite responding and winning the period 20-16, the Sao Paulo team entered the break losing 52-39.

Franca even showed that he was capable of changing the point of view of the game at the beginning of the third period, but he quickly repeated the same defensive errors and allowed Flamengo to consolidate their advantage. Due to fouls, Lucas Dias returned to the match, but was unable to change the situation of the match. Cariocas won fourth place 16-12 and was eliminated in the partial round 68-51.

In the final period, Franca entered the match, especially with the presence of Lucas Dias and Heinkel, and reduced the difference to nine points with seven minutes remaining. On the other hand, Flamengo's attack stopped working and the French team began to trail by seven points six minutes before the end. However, Rubro-Negro once again dominated the attacking operations and, with a triple pass from Gui Deodato four minutes from time, put a 14-point advantage on the scoreboard and made Flamengo hold the advantage until the end to win by 88 points. 73 and back to the top of the National Bank of Bahrain.

Franca started with Marcio, Scala, Lucas Dias, David Jackson and Henkel. Then Jonathan Laws, Edu Marilia, Joelent Wesley, Nathan Mariano and Zo Junior entered.

Flamengo took to the field with Gui Deodato, Balbi, Didi, Mikey and Gabriel Gao. Then Mota, Olivinia, Scott, and Coelho entered.