MEDELLÍN (Colombia) – Flamengo capitalized on Paisas' mistakes and executed better in the closing moments to claim an 89-72 road victory in the first game of their BCL Americas Quarterfinal series at the Iván de Bedout Coliseum in Medellín, Colombia.
Turning point
Paisas played fearlessly against the historic Brazilian club for 35 minutes, but key plays took a toll on their morale, leading to their collapse. Thomas Robinson intercepted a pass and sprinted for a fast-break dunk, but he missed the attempt. Had he completed it, Paisas would have cut the deficit to four with five minutes remaining. However, the opposite happened—following Robinson’s miss, the home team lost momentum, and Flamengo responded with a 9-0 run to take an 85-70 lead, sealing the game with 2:59 left on the clock. Immediately after Robinson’s mistake, Alexey Borges hit a jumper. Then, Kayo Manfio drained a corner three, and on the inbound play, Jordan Williams stole the ball, allowing Ruan Miranda to capitalize on an offensive rebound. This entire sequence deflated the Colombian squad, which had been matching Flamengo blow for blow and had even erased a 15-point deficit in the second quarter. In the final three minutes, Paisas' offense stalled, allowing Flamengo to pull away.
Player of the game
Point guard Alexey Borges flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. He led the charge for Flamengo which had five players scoring in double figures. Ruan Miranda posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards. Guilherme Deodato added 12 points, while Tayavek Gallizzi and Kayo Manfio contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Víctor Liz tried to keep Paisas in the game with 25 points. Robinson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Durrell Summers (13) and Eric Griffin (11) also reached double digits.
Stats don’t lie
It wasn’t the best shooting night for either team (neither reached 40% from the field), but Flamengo made the most of Paisas’ mistakes. The Antioquian team had 20 turnovers, and the Brazilian side dominated 23 points off turnovers. Flamengo also displayed a much more balanced attack, with its bench contributing 35 points, compared to just 3 from Paisas’ reserves. Offensive rebounding was another key factor in Flamengo’s favor, as the Rio de Janeiro squad grabbed 20 offensive boards compared to Paisas’ 8.
Bottom line
Argentine coach Sergio Hernández made his debut on Flamengo’s bench in this BCL Americas campaign, and he did so in the best possible way. Now, his team is in a strong position to secure a spot in the Final 4, with two chances at home to clinch one more win. The games in Rio de Janeiro are set for March 14 and, if necessary, March 15.
FIBA