NBB Round 5 (Regular Season): Vivo/Franca hand first defeat to Minas

The round was exceptionally exciting as five games ended with a tiny margin. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Minas (6-1) recorded its first loss in Belo Horizonte on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by seventh ranked Vivo/Franca (5-2) 81-71. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Minas. 25 personal fouls committed by Minas helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was the former international power forward Marcio Santos (204-2002) who scored 27 points and 7 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). International center Lucas Silva (208-1995) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. The former international forward Rafael Mineiro (208-1988) produced 14 points and 6 rebounds for the hosts. Vivo/Franca moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Paulistano. Minas at the other side still keeps top position with one game lost. Vivo/Franca is looking forward to face Caxias do Sul (#9) at home in the next round. Minas will play against Paulistano (#6) in Sao Paulo and is hoping to win this game.
Leader Minas delivered the sixth victory. This time they crushed 8th ranked Paschoalotto/Bauru (4-4) 99-80 in Belo Horizonte. Forward Alexandre Paranhos (204-1992) orchestrated the victory by scoring 21 points and 7 rebounds (on 9-of-10 shooting from the field). Renan Lenz contributed with 7 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Center Matheus Maciel (206-2001) answered with 12 points and 9 rebounds for Paschoalotto/Bauru. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Minas (6-1) have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They maintain first place. Paschoalotto/Bauru at the other side dropped to the tenth position with four games lost. Minas will play against Paulistano (#6) in Sao Paulo in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Paschoalotto/Bauru will play at home against Caxias do Sul (#9) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Bottom-ranked Mogi (0-6) tried to put together a comeback for its first victory of the season, but they fell short in the 74-66 loss to seventh ranked U.Corinthians (4-3) in Santa Cruz do Sul on Monday evening. Radovan Djokovic stepped up and scored 21 points and 8 assists for the winners. Lucas Lacerda responded with 19 points and 5 rebounds. Despite that victory U.Corinthians went down to eighth position due to points difference, which they share with Caxias do Sul. Mogi lost their sixth game in a row. They still close the standings with six games lost. U.Corinthians will meet higher ranked Vivo/Franca (#5) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Mogi will play against the league's second-placed Vasco da Gama (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.

Other games of round 5 were very predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Pinheiros defeated Sesi Franca in Sao Paulo 88-85. Flamengo beat Cerrado at home 89-71. Bauru lost to Pato on the opponent's court 70-73. Corinthians managed to outperform Sao Paulo in a home game 81-78. Brasilia recorded a loss to Botafogo on the road 89-78. Caxias do Sul defeated Mogi on its own court 81-77. Sao Jose beat U.Corinthians in a road game 78-74. Vasco da Gama won against Cerrado at home 74-71. Brasilia was outscored by Flamengo on the opponent's court 92-55. Pato managed to beat Sesi Franca in a home game 87-83. Sao Paulo defeated Pinheiros on the road 81-75. Caxias do Sul was beaten by Sao Jose on its own court 82-90. Paulistano won against Corinthians in Sao Paulo 79-71. Botafogo managed to outperform Cerrado at home 74-73. Brasilia was rolled over Vasco da Gama on the opponent's court 79-54.
The best stats of 5th round was 29 points and 9 rebounds by Rafael Paulichi of Vasco da Gama.



U.Corinthians - Mogi 74-66

Bottom-ranked Mogi (0-6) tried to put together a comeback for its first victory of the season, but they fell short in the 74-66 loss to seventh ranked U.Corinthians (4-3) in Santa Cruz do Sul on Monday evening. U.Corinthians outrebounded Mogi 34-23 including a 30-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. Serbian guard Radovan Djokovic (196-1996) stepped up and scored 21 points and 8 assists for the winners and American forward Duane Johnson (201-1991, college: ESU, agency: BIG) chipped in 15 points and 12 rebounds. Point guard Lucas Lacerda (180-1997) responded with 19 points and 5 rebounds and point guard Guilherme Lessa (178-1995) scored 17 points and 4 steals. Despite that victory U.Corinthians went down to eighth position due to points difference, which they share with Caxias do Sul. Mogi lost their sixth game in a row. They still close the standings with six games lost. U.Corinthians will meet higher ranked Vivo/Franca (#5) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Mogi will play against the league's second-placed Vasco da Gama (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
U.Corinthians: R.Djokovic 21+3reb+8ast, D.Johnson 15+12reb+3ast, A.Coimbra 9+2reb, C.Arthur 8+3ast, C.Jamison 6+5reb+2ast, K.Stephens 6+5reb+1ast
Mogi: L.Lacerda 19+5reb+2ast, G.Lessa 17+4reb+3ast, L.Paulo Dos Santos 11+5reb+1ast, V.Pastor 9+3reb, M.Iago 4+1reb, S.Stallworth 3+3reb+1ast

Sesi Franca - Pinheiros 85-88

There was an upset in Sao Paulo where higher ranked Vivo/Franca (5-2) was edged by thirteenth ranked Pinheiros (2-4) 88-85 on Monday. Pinheiros shot the lights out from three sinking 15 long-distance shots on high 55.6 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. The former international Jimmy Oliveira (190-1990) stepped up and scored 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners and point guard Adyel Borges (188-2002) chipped in 11 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. International center Lucas Silva (208-1995) responded with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and Venezuelan point guard Heissler Guillent (186-1986) scored 14 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Four Pinheiros and five Vivo/Franca players scored in double figures. Despite that victory Pinheiros went down to fourteenth position due to points difference. Loser Vivo/Franca dropped to the fifth place with two games lost. They share the position with Paulistano. Pinheiros will meet higher ranked UNIFACISA (#11) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Vivo/Franca will play against Caxias do Sul (#9) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Pinheiros: J.Oliveira 26+7reb+4ast, F.Ruivo 15+1reb+2ast, B.Adyel 11+5reb+5ast, F.Tiago 10+3reb+3ast, D.Paula Enrico 9+2reb, F.Aguerre 6+4reb+1ast
Sesi Franca: L.Silva 23+6reb+4ast, H.Guillent 14+5reb+7ast, J.dos Santos 13+2reb+2ast, S.Scala 11+3reb+3ast, W.Ferreira 10+6reb+3ast, B.Paulo 7+3reb+1ast

Flamengo - Cerrado 89-71

No shocking result in a game in Rio de Janeiro where fourth ranked Flamengo (5-1) defeated 17th ranked Cerrado (1-7) 89-71 on Monday. Flamengo looked well-organized offensively handing out 27 assists. Hungarian Marko Filipovity (204-1996, agency: Octagon Europe) stepped up and scored 23 points and 6 rebounds for the winners and the former international Gabriel Galvanini (202-1998) chipped in 17 points and 6 rebounds. Four Flamengo players scored in double figures. Point guard Guilherme Santos (189-1997) responded with 14 points and American William Green (201-1991, college: Stetson) scored 11 points and 6 rebounds. Cerrado's coach Regis Marrelli rotated twelve players seeing no chance for a win. The victory was the fifth consecutive win for Flamengo. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Cearense. Cerrado lost their fourth game in a row. They dropped to the eighteenth position with seven games lost. Flamengo will meet bottom-ranked Mogi (#19) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Cerrado's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Brasilia Brasilia.
Top scorers:
Flamengo: M.Filipovity 23+6reb+1ast, G.Galvanini 17+6reb+1ast, G.Pereira 15+3reb+2ast, D.Louzada 13+2reb+7ast, M.Tavares 11+4reb+1ast, M.Cuello 8+5reb+5ast
Cerrado: G.Santos 14+4reb+2ast, G.Gillard 11+3reb, W.Green 11+6reb+1ast, D.Rossetto 9+2reb+6ast, V.Haydin Daniel 9+1reb+1ast, B.de Abreu Andre 8+6reb+1ast

Pato - Bauru 73-70

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams in Pato Branco where 8th ranked Paschoalotto/Bauru (4-4) was edged by ninth ranked Pato (5-4) 73-70 on Tuesday. Center Gabriel Novaes (208-2001) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 23 points and 11 rebounds for the winners and guard Fabricio Verissimo (192-1998) chipped in 9 points and 9 rebounds. Pato's coach Jece Leite used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Anderson Rodrigues (207-1997) responded with 25 points and 7 rebounds and the former international guard Alex Garcia (190-1980, agency: Interperformances) scored 8 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. The victory was the third consecutive win for Pato. They moved-up to seventh place. Loser Paschoalotto/Bauru dropped to the tenth position with four games lost. Pato will meet higher ranked Paulistano (#6) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Paschoalotto/Bauru will play against Caxias do Sul (#9) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Pato: N.Gabriel 23+11reb+2ast, J.Materan 12+5reb, E.Sommer 12+6reb, F.Verissimo 9+9reb+3ast, N.Barnes 7+5reb+7ast, M.De Souza 5+1reb+1ast
Bauru: R.Anderson 25+7reb+1ast, G.Sacco 16+1reb, M.Cabrera 12+4reb+1ast, A.Garcia 8+6reb+5ast, D.Cruz Felipe 4+2reb, M.Maciel 3+6reb+1ast

Corinthians - Sao Paulo 81-78

Very predictable result when eleventh ranked Corinthians (3-3) edged at home 16th ranked Sao Paulo (2-5) 81-78 on Tuesday. However just three-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Corinthians outrebounded Sao Paulo 46-30 including 31 on the defensive glass. The former international guard Caue Borges (187-1991) stepped up and scored 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners and the former international point guard Elinho Corazza (191-1989, college: Miami Dade CC) chipped in 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Corinthians' coach Silvio Santander used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. The former international center Vitor Faverani (213-1988) responded with 20 points and American guard Malcolm Miller (201-1991, college: Southern) scored 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Four Corinthians and five Sao Paulo players scored in double figures. Corinthians maintains eleventh place with 3-3 record, which they share with Sao Jose and UniFacisa. Loser Sao Paulo dropped to the fifteenth position with five games lost. Corinthians will meet UNIFACISA (#11) in the next round. Sao Paulo will play against the league's leader Minas (#1) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Corinthians: C.Borges 19+6reb+5ast, O.Daniel 18+7reb+1ast, L.Caue 15+4reb+1ast, E.Corazza 15+7reb+6ast, I.Goncalves 5+2reb, L.Rojas 4+4reb
Sao Paulo: V.Faverani 20+3reb+1ast, R.Fischer 15+2reb, M.Miller 11+5reb+4ast, C.Bennett 11+1ast, R.Ansaloni 11+7reb, H.Coelho 5+2reb+5ast

Botafogo - Brasilia 89-78

There was a minor upset in Rio de Janeiro where 15th ranked Brasilia (2-6) was defeated by eighteenth ranked Botafogo (2-7) 89-78 on Tuesday. The game was dominated by American players. Guard Isaac Thornton (193-1991, college: Fairmont St.) stepped up and scored 25 points for the winners and point guard Jamaal Smith (176-1985, college: N.Mexico) chipped in 12 points and 8 assists. Five Botafogo players scored in double figures. Botafogo's coach Miguel Palmier used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. Guard Thomas Cooper (196-1992, college: Calgary) responded with 25 points and 6 assists and guard Christian Alaekwe (193, college: St.Thomas, TX) scored 26 points and 7 rebounds. Botafogo moved-up to seventeenth place. Brasilia lost their fifth game in a row. They dropped to the sixteenth position with six games lost. Botafogo will meet higher ranked Sao Jose (#13) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Brasilia's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Brasilia to the arena Cerrado.
Top scorers:
Botafogo: I.Thornton 25+4reb+1ast, L.Gabriel 16+1reb, M.Brito 14+1reb+4ast, R.Santiago 13+5reb+3ast, J.Smith 12+4reb+8ast, E.Matias 5+7reb+2ast
Brasilia: C.Alaekwe 26+7reb+1ast, T.Cooper 25+4reb+6ast, P.Da Costa 14+2reb+2ast, A.Dalaqua 7+3reb+1ast, T.Oliveira 6+11reb+1ast, A.Allan 0+2reb

Caxias do Sul - Mogi 81-77

Everything went according to plan when seventh ranked Caxias do Sul (4-3) won against at home bottom-ranked Mogi (0-6) 81-77 on Wednesday. However just four-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. American point guard Kenny Dawkins (177-1987, college: Lamar) stepped up and scored 25 points and 5 assists for the winners and Rafa Oliveira (199-1993) chipped in 23 points and 7 rebounds. Caxias do Sul's coach Bruno Lopes used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Point guard Lucas Lacerda (180-1997) responded with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists and guard Iago Mendes (196-2003) scored 17 points. Four Mogi players scored in double figures. The victory was the third consecutive win for Caxias do Sul. Despite that victory Caxias do Sul went down to eighth position due to points difference, which they share with U.Corinthians. Mogi lost their sixth game in a row. They still close the standings with six games lost. Caxias do Sul will meet higher ranked Vivo/Franca (#5) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Mogi will play against the league's second-placed Vasco da Gama (#2) and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Top scorers:
Caxias do Sul: K.Dawkins 25+4reb+5ast, R.Oliveira 23+7reb+3ast, W.Sena 9+3reb+2ast, C.Leonardo 7+6reb+2ast, D.Conceicao 6+2reb+2ast, W.Alves 5+1reb+1ast
Mogi: L.Lacerda 18+6reb+7ast, M.Iago 17+4reb+1ast, C.Ware 11+1reb+2ast, S.Stallworth 10+3reb+3ast, G.Lessa 9+2reb+3ast, V.Pastor 9+7reb+2ast

U.Corinthians - Sao Jose 74-78

There was an upset in Santa Cruz do Sul where higher ranked U.Corinthians (4-3) was defeated by thirteenth ranked Sao Jose (3-3) 78-74 on Wednesday. Sao Jose looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Power forward Renato Carbonari (202-1987) stepped up and scored 21 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for the winners and Argentinian point guard Diego Figueredo (185-1991, agency: BIG) chipped in 13 points and 7 assists. Sao Jose's coach Sebastian Luis Figueredo used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American forward Duane Johnson (201-1991, college: ESU, agency: BIG) responded with 22 points and 4 assists and the other American import guard Kendall Stephens (198-1994, college: Nevada) scored 9 points and 7 rebounds. Sao Jose moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Corinthians and UniFacisa. Loser U.Corinthians dropped to the eighth position with three games lost. They share it with Caxias do Sul. Sao Jose will meet at home Botafogo (#17) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. U.Corinthians will play against Vivo/Franca (#5) in Sao Paulo and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sao Jose: R.Carbonari 21+7reb+6ast, D.Figueredo 13+3reb+7ast, L.Lema 11+4reb+3ast, D.Silva 9+4reb+1ast, A.Leao 8+3reb+2ast, P.Chourio 7+3reb+1ast
U.Corinthians: D.Johnson 22+4reb+4ast, A.Coimbra 13+4reb, C.Jamison 10+5reb+2ast, K.Stephens 9+7reb+2ast, R.Djokovic 8+2reb+5ast, C.Arthur 8+2reb+1ast

Vasco da Gama - Cerrado 74-71

No shocking result in a game in Rio de Janeiro where fifth ranked Vasco da Gama (6-2) edged 17th ranked Cerrado (1-7) 74-71 on Wednesday. However just three-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Vasco da Gama looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Center Thiago Mathias (208-1989, college: N.Mexico JC) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds for the winners and Rafael Paulichi (201-1998) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. Four Vasco da Gama players scored in double figures. American guard Grantham Gillard (193-1997, college: Arkansas St.) responded with 17 points and 6 rebounds and guard Matheus Silva (189-2001) scored 9 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Vasco da Gama moved-up to second place. Cerrado lost their fourth game in a row. They dropped to the eighteenth position with seven games lost. Vasco da Gama will meet bottom-ranked Mogi (#19) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Cerrado's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Brasilia Brasilia.
Top scorers:
Vasco da Gama: R.Paulichi 16+5reb, T.Mathias 14+11reb, E.Matheus 11+5reb+5ast, M.Vieira 10+5reb+4ast, L.Basilio 10+3reb+2ast, H.Silva 6+3reb
Cerrado: G.Gillard 17+6reb, D.Rossetto 10+2reb+3ast, G.Santos 10+3reb, W.Green 9+6reb, S.Matheus 9+7reb+6ast, B.Honorato 5+2reb

Flamengo - Brasilia 92-55

Very expected game in Rio de Janeiro where 15th ranked Brasilia (2-6) was rolled over by fourth ranked Flamengo (5-1) 92-55 on Thursday. Flamengo outrebounded Brasilia 40-21 including a 30-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. Flamengo looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Hungarian Marko Filipovity (204-1996, agency: Octagon Europe) stepped up and scored 26 points and 8 rebounds for the winners and the former international guard Didi Louzada (195-1999) chipped in 16 points. Four Flamengo players scored in double figures. Guard Dalaqua Almentra (182-2000) responded with 15 points and guard Paulo Da Costa (193-1994) scored 7 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. The victory was the fifth consecutive win for Flamengo. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Cearense. Brasilia lost their fifth game in a row. They dropped to the sixteenth position with six games lost. Flamengo will meet bottom-ranked Mogi (#19) in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Brasilia's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Brasilia to the arena Cerrado.
Top scorers:
Flamengo: M.Filipovity 26+8reb+1ast, D.Louzada 16+4reb+3ast, G.Galvanini 14+7reb+1ast, M.Tavares 11+6reb, M.Cuello 11+2reb+1ast, G.Pereira 5+2reb+1ast
Brasilia: A.Dalaqua 15+3reb, C.Alaekwe 11+4reb+1ast, P.Da Costa 7+6reb+4ast, A.Allan 6, V.Gabriel 6+2reb, T.Oliveira 5+2reb

Minas - Bauru 99-80

Leader Minas delivered the sixth victory. This time they crushed 8th ranked Paschoalotto/Bauru (4-4) 99-80 in Belo Horizonte. Minas made 16-of-21 charity shots (76.2 percent) during the game. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 27 assists. Forward Alexandre Paranhos (204-1992) orchestrated the victory by scoring 21 points and 7 rebounds (on 9-of-10 shooting from the field). The former international power forward Renan Lenz (207-1990, college: Utah) contributed with 7 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Center Matheus Maciel (206-2001) answered with 12 points and 9 rebounds and guard Gemadinha Sacco (183-1997) added 17 points in the effort for Paschoalotto/Bauru. Four Paschoalotto/Bauru players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Minas (6-1) have an impressive series of five victories in a row. They maintain first place. Paschoalotto/Bauru at the other side dropped to the tenth position with four games lost. Minas will play against Paulistano (#6) in Sao Paulo in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Paschoalotto/Bauru will play at home against Caxias do Sul (#9) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Minas: A.Paranhos 21+7reb+3ast, G.Barbosa 13+3reb+1ast, R.Mineiro 12+1reb+1ast, D.Fuzaro 10+7reb+2ast, L.Gonzalez 10+1reb+1ast, F.Vezaro 9+2reb+3ast
Bauru: G.Sacco 17+4reb+3ast, D.Cruz Felipe 15+3reb+1ast, R.Anderson 12+5reb+1ast, M.Maciel 12+9reb+3ast, A.Garcia 9+5reb+7ast, M.Cabrera 5+2ast

Pato - Sesi Franca 87-83

There was a small surprise in Pato Branco where ninth ranked Pato (5-4) beat 7th ranked Vivo/Franca (5-2) 87-83 on Thursday. American point guard Nate Barnes (182-1990, college: ABU) stepped up and scored 28 points for the winners and guard Fabricio Verissimo (192-1998) chipped in 18 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. International center Lucas Silva (208-1995) responded with 25 points and 6 rebounds and the former international power forward Marcio Santos (204-2002) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 12 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. The victory was the third consecutive win for Pato. They moved-up to seventh place. Loser Vivo/Franca dropped to the fifth position with two games lost. They share it with Paulistano. Pato will meet higher ranked Paulistano (#6) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Vivo/Franca will play against Caxias do Sul and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Pato: N.Barnes 28+1reb+3ast, E.Sommer 18+5reb, F.Verissimo 18+10reb+4ast, N.Gabriel 15+10reb+2ast, J.Materan 6+5reb+2ast, M.De Souza 2+1reb
Sesi Franca: L.Silva 25+6reb+2ast, W.Ferreira 13+2reb, S.Scala 13+5reb+6ast, S.Marcio 12+12reb+1ast, B.Paulo 10+3reb+1ast, J.dos Santos 6+5reb+2ast

Pinheiros - Sao Paulo 75-81

There was a minor upset when 13th ranked Pinheiros (2-4) was defeated at home by sixteenth ranked Sao Paulo (2-5) 81-75 on Friday. The former international center Vitor Faverani (213-1988) stepped up and scored 19 points and 5 rebounds for the winners and the former international point guard Ricardo Fischer (183-1991) chipped in 16 points and 7 assists. The former international Jimmy Oliveira (190-1990) responded with 17 points and point guard Adyel Borges (188-2002) scored 15 points and 5 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Pinheiros' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Sao Paulo moved-up to fifteenth place. Loser Pinheiros dropped to the fourteenth position with four games lost. Sao Paulo will meet at home league's leader Minas in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Pinheiros will play against UNIFACISA (#11) in Paraiba and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sao Paulo: V.Faverani 19+5reb+1ast, R.Fischer 16+2reb+7ast, L.Siewert 15+5reb, C.Bennett 13+7reb+2ast, R.Ansaloni 7+5reb, M.Miller 6+3reb+3ast
Pinheiros: J.Oliveira 17+3reb+1ast, B.Adyel 15+5reb+1ast, F.Tiago 13+2reb+2ast, F.Ruivo 12+1reb+1ast, S.Agapy 8+5reb, F.Aguerre 5+5reb+4ast

Caxias do Sul - Sao Jose 82-90

There was a surprise result when thirteenth ranked Sao Jose (3-3) won against on the road higher ranked Caxias do Sul (4-3) 90-82 on Friday. Argentinian point guard Diego Figueredo (185-1991, agency: BIG) stepped up and scored 22 points and 7 assists for the winners and Venezuelan guard Pedro Chourio (196-1990, agency: Pro Sports) chipped in 15 points and 6 rebounds. Five Sao Jose players scored in double figures. American point guard Kenny Dawkins (177-1987, college: Lamar) responded with 16 points and 7 assists and Wesley Alves (198-1996) scored 21 points and 5 rebounds. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Sao Jose moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with Corinthians and UniFacisa. Loser Caxias do Sul dropped to the eighth position with three games lost. They share it with U.Corinthians. Sao Jose will meet at home Botafogo (#17) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Caxias do Sul will play against Vivo/Franca (#5) in Sao Paulo and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sao Jose: D.Figueredo 22+4reb+7ast, R.Carbonari 17+2reb+2ast, P.Chourio 15+6reb+3ast, A.Leao 11+6reb+3ast, D.Silva 11+3reb+1ast, A.Bernardi 6+2reb
Caxias do Sul: W.Alves 21+5reb+1ast, W.Sena 18+2reb+4ast, K.Dawkins 16+4reb+7ast, C.Vinicius 9+4reb+2ast, R.Oliveira 7+3reb+1ast, C.Leonardo 4+8reb+2ast

Corinthians - Paulistano 71-79

There was no surprise in Sao Paulo where 11th ranked Corinthians (3-3) was defeated by seventh ranked Paulistano (5-2) 79-71 on Friday. Naturalized American guard Kevin Crescenzi (192-1993, college: Dartmouth) stepped up and scored 21 points for the winners and Victor Camilo (203-1997) chipped in 15 points and 6 rebounds. Four Paulistano players scored in double figures. The former international guard Caue Borges (187-1991) responded with 15 points and 4 assists and the former international point guard Elinho Corazza (191-1989, college: Miami Dade CC) scored 12 points and 8 assists. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. The victory was the fifth consecutive win for Paulistano. They moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Sesi Franca. Loser Corinthians keeps the eleventh position with three games lost. They share it with Sao Jose and UniFacisa. Paulistano will meet at home league's leader Minas in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Corinthians will play against UNIFACISA (#11) in Paraiba and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Paulistano: K.Crescenzi 21+2reb+2ast, V.Camilo 15+6reb+2ast, S.Ferreyra 15+3reb+4ast, A.Doria 10+1reb+1ast, F.Vinicius 7+3reb+4ast, L.Doria 6+4reb+2ast
Corinthians: C.Borges 15+3reb+4ast, E.Corazza 12+2reb+8ast, O.Daniel 9+6reb, L.Caue 9+5reb, L.Demetrio 8+8reb, L.Gabriel 8+6reb+4ast

Botafogo - Cerrado 74-73

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams in Rio de Janeiro where eighteenth ranked Botafogo (2-7) edged 17th ranked Cerrado (1-7) 74-73 on Saturday. Strangely Cerrado outrebounded Botafogo 44-27 including a 28-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. Botafogo looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. The game was dominated by American players. Point guard Jamaal Smith (176-1985, college: N.Mexico) stepped up and scored 18 points and 8 assists for the winners and guard Isaac Thornton (193-1991, college: Fairmont St.) chipped in 19 points and 4 assists. Guard Grantham Gillard (193-1997, college: Arkansas St.) responded with 19 points and 5 rebounds and William Green (201-1991, college: Stetson) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Botafogo moved-up to seventeenth place. Cerrado lost their fourth game in a row. They dropped to the eighteenth position with seven games lost. Botafogo will meet higher ranked Sao Jose (#13) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Cerrado's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Brasilia Brasilia.
Top scorers:
Botafogo: I.Thornton 19+2reb+4ast, J.Smith 18+2reb+8ast, M.Brito 11+5reb+4ast, E.Matias 8+8reb+3ast, E.Guilherme 8+6reb, L.Gabriel 7
Cerrado: G.Gillard 19+5reb+2ast, W.Green 12+11reb+1ast, G.Santos 11+3reb+3ast, D.Rossetto 8+5reb+7ast, B.de Abreu Andre 6+7reb, W.Maicon 6+7reb+2ast

Minas - Sesi Franca 71-81

Minas (6-1) recorded its first loss in Belo Horizonte on Saturday night. Hosts were defeated by seventh ranked Vivo/Franca (5-2) 81-71. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Minas. 25 personal fouls committed by Minas helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. The best player for the winners was the former international power forward Marcio Santos (204-2002) who scored 27 points and 7 rebounds (on 8-of-10 shooting from the field). International center Lucas Silva (208-1995) chipped in 16 points and 5 rebounds. The former international forward Rafael Mineiro (208-1988) produced 14 points and 6 rebounds and Argentinian guard Luciano Gonzalez (194-1990) added 11 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for the hosts. Four Minas players scored in double figures. Vivo/Franca moved-up to fifth place, which they share with Paulistano. Minas at the other side still keeps top position with one game lost. Vivo/Franca is looking forward to face Caxias do Sul (#9) at home in the next round. Minas will play against Paulistano (#6) in Sao Paulo and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Sesi Franca: S.Marcio 27+7reb+1ast, L.Silva 16+5reb+2ast, S.Scala 16+3reb+3ast, H.Guillent 9+8reb+4ast, B.Paulo 8+3reb, J.dos Santos 2+4reb+3ast
Minas: R.Mineiro 14+6reb+2ast, F.Vezaro 14+6reb, L.Gonzalez 11+5reb+4ast, D.Fuzaro 11+4reb+3ast, A.Paranhos 7+3reb, G.Barbosa 5+2reb

Vasco da Gama - Brasilia 79-54

Very expected game in Rio de Janeiro where 15th ranked Brasilia (2-6) was rolled over by fifth ranked Vasco da Gama (6-2) 79-54 on Sunday. Vasco da Gama outrebounded Brasilia 44-27 including a 32-17 advantage in defensive rebounds. Vasco da Gama looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by Brasilia's players. Rafael Paulichi (201-1998) stepped up and scored 29 points and 9 rebounds for the winners and the former international guard Humberto Silva (196-1995) chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds. Vasco da Gama's coach felt very confident that he used entire bench and allowed the starting five to rest. Guard Paulo Da Costa (193-1994) responded with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and American guard Thomas Cooper (196-1992, college: Calgary) scored 14 points. Vasco da Gama moved-up to second place. Brasilia lost their fifth game in a row. They dropped to the sixteenth position with six games lost. Vasco da Gama will meet bottom-ranked Mogi (#19) in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Brasilia's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Brasilia to the arena Cerrado.
Top scorers:
Vasco da Gama: R.Paulichi 29+9reb+2ast, H.Silva 16+6reb+3ast, E.Matheus 13+6reb+5ast, M.Vieira 8+8reb, W.Matheus 3, T.Mathias 3+8reb+2ast
Brasilia: P.Da Costa 15+7reb+4ast, T.Cooper 14+4reb+1ast, C.Alaekwe 9+2reb, A.Dalaqua 7+5reb+1ast, D.Ramos 3+1reb+2ast, G.Bento 2