For 24 minutes, it seemed that Franca would leave Rio de Janeiro with a sweep and the unprecedented title of Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), the main championship of the sport in the country. But with great recovery in the second half, Flamengo turned around and won game 3, at Maracanãzinho, by 81 to 75, reducing the disadvantage in the final series to 2 to 1. Game 4, in Franca, will be on Thursday (9 ) and will represent the second opportunity in a row for Franca to close the series. An eventual game 5, also in Franca, will take place on Saturday (11).
LET’S GO TO GAME 4! ?
In an exciting duel with a strong presence of the crowd, @TimeFlamengo wins @FrancaBasquete in the third match of #NBB Finals!?
Olivinha, the God of the red-black race, with many merits was elected the #KingOfTheGame (@Budweiser_Br)#OurBasketball #NBB Finals pic.twitter.com/dAJIxCWjQK
— NBB (@NBB) June 4, 2022
In the first two quarters, Franca set the pace, being ahead almost the entire time. Lucas Dias, the visiting team’s pivot, scored 12 of the team’s 16 points in the first quarter, which ended in a tie, but during the second half, the São Paulo team met and opened nine points (39-30). However, the American Dar Tucker began to draw the reaction that would be confirmed when he returned to the locker room, reducing the disadvantage to just three points.
In the second half, with their backs against the wall, Rubro-Negro didn’t let Franca breathe in the third quarter. Orchestrated by Argentinian point guard Franco Balbi, the team managed to improve 13 straight points, which were part of a 24-6 run from the moment it was losing 39-30. putting together the moves, Olivinha was the heart. After scoring nine points in the first quarter, he had to leave the court in the middle of the red-black reaction when he suffered a cut to his head in a move inside Flamengo’s lane. However, after returning with a swimming cap, instead of being limited, he grew in production. It was the main reason Flamengo made it 20-10 in the partial and secured Franca in the last quarter, securing the 81-75 victory.
LOOK WHO IS AMONG US! ?
Olivinha, wearing a cap and all, receiving the #KingOfTheGame! ?#OurBasketball | #NBB Finals | @budweiser_br pic.twitter.com/0h6KaGOYJo
— NBB (@NBB) June 4, 2022
Olivinha ended the match with her best score of the season: 27 points, with 64% from the field, 43% from three-pointers, in addition to seven rebounds. Balbi was responsible for nine assists (nearly half of the 20 the team had in total) and nine points.
To win the third consecutive NBB title, Flamengo, who defeated Franca for the first time in five games this edition, will have to do something that no one has been able to do so far. Franca – the biggest national winner of Brazilian basketball, but who hasn’t been a champion since 1999, therefore, before the NBB era – has not yet been defeated in the Pedrocão gym this season. There were 20 games and 20 wins. The ball goes up for Game 4 at 19:00 (Brasilia time).
