NBB Round 7 (Regular Season): Minas defeat UniFacisa in the closest game of the week

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

Ninth-ranked UNIFACISA (6-4) gave a tough game to first ranked Minas (10-1) in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday. Minas managed to secure only three-point victory 85-82. However their fans expected much easier game. Minas made 19-of-22 free shots (86.4 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 28 assists. It was a great evening for Argentinian guard Luciano Gonzalez (194-1990) who led his team to a victory scoring 19 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Argentinian point guard Franco Baralle (185-1999) helped adding 13 points and 10 assists. Minas' coach Leonardo Costa used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. At the losing side the former international center Guilherme Hubner (209-1987) responded with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Minas have a solid series of four victories in a row. They maintain first place with 10-1 record. UniFacisa at the other side dropped to the eighth position with four games lost. Minas are looking forward to face Cerrado (#16) in Brasilia in the next round which should be an easy win for them. UniFacisa will play at home against U.Corinthians (#13) and is hoping to prove to their supporters that this time they can win.
Important game to mention about took place in Pato Branco. Second ranked Fortaleza (8-2) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging 11th ranked Pato (5-8) 76-75 on Wednesday evening. Guest team only slightly avoided a big embarassment. It was an exceptional evening for Douglas Nunes (210-1987) who led the winners and scored 13 points and 7 rebounds. Dexter McClanahan accounted for 11 points and 5 assists. Center Gabriel Novaes (208-2001) came up with 18 points and 7 rebounds for Pato in the defeat. Fortaleza have an impressive series of five victories in a row. Cearense maintains second place with 8-2 record having just three points less than leader Minas, which they share with Flamengo. Pato lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the eleventh position with eight games lost. Cearense will play against Caxias do Sul (#14) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Pato will have a break next round.
The game between Top Four teams took place in Belo Horizonte. First ranked host Minas (10-1) defeated their biggest opponent Fortaleza (8-2) 93-88. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Fortaleza. Alexandre Paranhos fired a double-double by scoring 19 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. Minas' coach Leonardo Costa allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. Sebastian Orresta produced a double-double by scoring 12 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists for lost side. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Minas. They maintain first place with 10-1 record. Loser Fortaleza keeps the second position with two games lost. They share it with Flamengo. Minas will meet at home Cerrado (#16) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Cearense will play against Caxias do Sul (#14) and hope to secure a win.

There were no shocking results in the rest of the games of round 7: Vasco da Gama lost to Sao Jose on the opponent's court 71-83. Flamengo managed to outperform Bauru in a home game 89-73. Bottom-ranked Mogi recorded a loss to Cerrado on the road 70-62. U.Corinthians was defeated by Paulistano on its own court 51-63. Sao Paulo beat Caxias do Sul in a road game 84-79. Botafogo won against Bauru at home 83-80. Bottom-ranked Mogi unfortunately lost to Brasilia on the opponent's court 80-81. U.Corinthians recorded a loss to Sao Paulo in a home game 74-81. Pinheiros was defeated by Corinthians on the road 94-92. Caxias do Sul was beaten by Paulistano on its own court 65-81. UniFacisa won against Pato in Paraiba 68-64. Flamengo outscored Sesi Franca at home 93-67. Sao Jose managed to beat Cerrado on the opponent's court 78-74. Vasco da Gama defeated Bauru in a home game 67-58.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 21 points and 11 rebounds by Rafael Paulichi of Vasco da Gama.



Sao Jose - Vasco da Gama 83-71

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams when 6th ranked Vasco da Gama (8-3) was defeated on the road by seventh ranked Sao Jose (7-3) 83-71 on Monday. Sao Jose forced 19 Vasco da Gama turnovers. Argentinian point guard Diego Figueredo (185-1991, agency: BIG) fired 22 points and 7 assists for the winners. Venezuelan guard Pedro Chourio (196-1990, agency: Pro Sports) chipped in 22 points. Four Sao Jose players scored in double figures. The former international guard Humberto Silva (196-1995) produced 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and guard Caue Freitas (192-1988) added 5 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. The victory was the sixth consecutive win for Sao Jose. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Sesi Franca. Newly promoted Vasco da Gama dropped to the fourth position with three games lost. They share it with Paulistano. Sao Jose will meet Pinheiros (#18) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Vasco da Gama will play against Sao Paulo (#10) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sao Jose: P.Chourio 22+4reb+1ast, D.Figueredo 22+4reb+7ast, R.Carbonari 12+9reb+5ast, A.Bernardi 10+3reb, D.Silva 9+8reb+2ast, L.Lema 4+5reb+2ast
Vasco da Gama: M.Vieira 14+2reb, L.Basilio 11+2reb+2ast, H.Silva 9+5reb+4ast, E.Matheus 9+2reb+2ast, C.Sergio 6+4reb, F.Russo 6+1reb

Flamengo - Bauru 89-73

Very predictable result in Rio de Janeiro where fourth ranked Flamengo (8-2) defeated 9th ranked Paschoalotto/Bauru (6-7) 89-73 on Monday. Flamengo made 17-of-19 free shots (89.5 percent) during the game. Flamengo outrebounded Bauru 39-24 including 26 on the defensive glass. Flamengo looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The former international Gabriel Galvanini (202-1998) fired a double-double by scoring 12 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. Hungarian Marko Filipovity (204-1996, agency: Octagon Europe) chipped in 21 points. Flamengo's coach Gustavo Conti allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Anderson Rodrigues (207-1997) produced 11 points and 8 rebounds and American point guard Dontrell Brite (175-1994, college: Mount Olive) added 13 points respectively for lost side. Four Bauru players scored in double figures. The victory was the third consecutive win for Flamengo. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Cearense. Bauru lost their third game in a row. They keep the ninth position with seven games lost. Flamengo will meet Sao Paulo (#10) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Bauru will play against Brasilia and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Flamengo: M.Filipovity 21+3reb+2ast, G.Pereira 18+2reb+2ast, G.Galvanini 12+15reb+1ast, M.Cuello 10+2reb+1ast, D.Louzada 9+6reb+3ast, F.Balbi 7+5reb+10ast
Bauru: D.Brite 13+3reb+2ast, R.Anderson 11+8reb+1ast, G.Sacco 11+1ast, M.Cabrera 10+2reb+2ast, D.Cruz Felipe 8+2reb, M.Maciel 8+3reb+1ast

Cerrado - Mogi 70-62

Not a big story in a game in Brasilia where 19th ranked Mogi (1-10) was defeated by fifteenth ranked Cerrado (3-8) 70-62 on Tuesday. Center Andre Barbosa de Abreu (212-2002) fired 15 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Point guard Guilherme Santos (189-1997) chipped in 9 points and 5 assists. Four Cerrado players scored in double figures. Cerrado's coach Regis Marrelli allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. Point guard Guilherme Lessa (178-1995) produced 20 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists and naturalized American Shamell Stallworth (195-1980, college: USF) added 8 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Despite that victory Cerrado went down to sixteenth position due to points difference. Mogi lost their fourth game in a row. They stay at the bottom place with ten games lost. Cerrado will meet higher ranked Sesi Franca (#7) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Mogi will play against Pinheiros (#18) in Sao Paulo and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Cerrado: B.de Abreu Andre 15+6reb+2ast, T.Dias 12+3reb+1ast, S.Matheus 10+2reb+4ast, D.Rossetto 10+2reb+6ast, G.Gillard 9+5reb, G.Santos 9+4reb+5ast
Mogi: G.Lessa 20+7reb+7ast, L.Paulo Dos Santos 9+5reb, S.Stallworth 8+5reb+3ast, S.Lukas 6+2reb+2ast, C.Ware 6+2reb+1ast, L.Lacerda 5+3reb+4ast

U.Corinthians - Paulistano 51-63

Everything went according to plan in Santa Cruz do Sul where fifth ranked Paulistano (8-3) beat 11th ranked U.Corinthians (4-7) 63-51 on Tuesday. Naturalized American guard Kevin Crescenzi (192-1993, college: Dartmouth) fired 14 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Argentinian point guard Santiago Ferreyra (188-1997) chipped in 16 points. American forward Duane Johnson (201-1991, college: ESU) produced 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and center Andre Coimbra (205-1986, college: CMU) added 11 points and 8 rebounds respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Paulistano moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Vasco da Gama. U.Corinthians lost their fifth game in a row. They dropped to the thirteenth position with seven games lost. They share it with Caxias do Sul. Paulistano will meet at home Botafogo (#17) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. U.Corinthians will play against UniFacisa (#8) in Paraiba and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Paulistano: S.Ferreyra 16+2reb+1ast, K.Crescenzi 14+7reb+3ast, V.Camilo 10+7reb, F.Vinicius 7+3reb+1ast, L.Doria 6+4reb+4ast, A.Doria 5+5reb+1ast
U.Corinthians: D.Johnson 14+6reb+4ast, R.Djokovic 13+3reb+2ast, A.Coimbra 11+8reb, M.Vinicius 6+2reb, C.Jamison 4+6reb+1ast, K.Stephens 3+7reb+1ast

Caxias do Sul - Sao Paulo 79-84

Everything could happen at the game between two tied teams. Both twelfth ranked Sao Paulo and 13th ranked Caxias do Sul had identical 4-6 record. But Caxias do Sul was not able to use a home court advantage and was defeated by the opponent from Sao Paulo 84-79 on Tuesday night. Sao Paulo made 25-of-32 free shots (78.1 percent) during the game. Center Ralfi Ansaloni (211-1987) fired 17 points and 5 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. American power forward Tyrone Curnell (203-1988, college: Valdosta St.) chipped in a double-double by scoring 11 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Diego Conceicao (199-1987) produced 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and Rafa Oliveira (199-1993) added 14 points and 7 rebounds respectively for lost side. Four Caxias do Sul players scored in double figures. Sao Paulo (5-6) moved-up to tenth place. Caxias do Sul lost their fifth game in a row. They keep the thirteenth position with seven games lost. They share it with U.Corinthians. Sao Paulo will meet at home higher ranked Vasco da Gama (#5) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Caxias do Sul will play against the league's second-placed Cearense (#2) having rather not much hope for a victory.
Top scorers:
Sao Paulo: R.Ansaloni 17+5reb+1ast, M.Miller 16+1reb+2ast, B.Duarte 12+2reb+1ast, T.Curnell 11+10reb+1ast, L.Siewert 9+6reb, C.Bennett 9+7reb+4ast
Caxias do Sul: D.Conceicao 17+7reb+4ast, R.Oliveira 14+7reb, C.Leonardo 12+4reb+1ast, K.Dawkins 11+2reb+6ast, C.Vinicius 9+3reb+1ast, W.Alves 9+2reb

Minas - UniFacisa 85-82

Ninth-ranked UNIFACISA (6-4) gave a tough game to first ranked Minas (10-1) in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday. Minas managed to secure only three-point victory 85-82. However their fans expected much easier game. Minas made 19-of-22 free shots (86.4 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 28 assists. It was a great evening for Argentinian guard Luciano Gonzalez (194-1990) who led his team to a victory scoring 19 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Argentinian point guard Franco Baralle (185-1999) helped adding 13 points and 10 assists. Minas' coach Leonardo Costa used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. At the losing side the former international center Guilherme Hubner (209-1987) responded with 13 points and 8 rebounds and power forward Rafael Rachel (205-2000) scored 14 points and 7 rebounds. Four Minas and five UniFacisa players scored in double figures. Minas have a solid series of four victories in a row. They maintain first place with 10-1 record. UniFacisa at the other side dropped to the eighth position with four games lost. Minas are looking forward to face Cerrado (#16) in Brasilia in the next round which should be an easy win for them. UniFacisa will play at home against U.Corinthians (#13) and is hoping to prove to their supporters that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
Minas: L.Gonzalez 19+6reb+6ast, F.Vezaro 16+3reb, F.Baralle 13+1reb+10ast, R.Mineiro 10+2reb+3ast, D.Fuzaro 8+3reb+3ast, A.Paranhos 6+3reb+1ast
UniFacisa: F.Corvalan 16+1reb+4ast, T.Gaskins 15+3reb+1ast, R.Rafael 14+7reb+2ast, G.Hubner 13+8reb+2ast, M.Solanas 10+2reb+3ast, A.Bresolin 10+2reb+2ast

Pato - Cearense 75-76

Important game to mention about took place in Pato Branco. Second ranked Fortaleza (8-2) saved a 1-point victory on the road edging 11th ranked Pato (5-8) 76-75 on Wednesday evening. Guest team only slightly avoided a big embarassment. It was an exceptional evening for Douglas Nunes (210-1987) who led the winners and scored 13 points and 7 rebounds. American swingman Dexter McClanahan (193-1997, college: Nicholls St.) accounted for 11 points and 5 assists for the winning side. Center Gabriel Novaes (208-2001) came up with 18 points and 7 rebounds and the former international Eduardo Sommer (205-1994) added 17 points respectively for Pato in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Fortaleza have an impressive series of five victories in a row. Cearense maintains second place with 8-2 record having just three points less than leader Minas, which they share with Flamengo. Pato lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the eleventh position with eight games lost. Cearense will play against Caxias do Sul (#14) at home in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Pato will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Cearense: D.Nunes 13+7reb+2ast, D.McClanahan 11+2reb+5ast, F.Queiros 10+6reb+2ast, E.Carvalho 10+5reb+2ast, W.Buford 9+2reb, S.Orresta 8+5reb+4ast
Pato: N.Gabriel 18+7reb+2ast, E.Sommer 17+4reb+3ast, F.Verissimo 10+5reb+3ast, A.Pecos 10+6reb+3ast, J.Materan 8+3reb+1ast, M.De Souza 8+3reb+2ast

Botafogo - Bauru 83-80

There was a surprise result in Rio de Janeiro where eighteenth ranked Botafogo (3-9) edged higher ranked Paschoalotto/Bauru (6-7) 83-80 on Wednesday. Botafogo made 22-of-29 free shots (75.9 percent) during the game. American guard Isaac Thornton (193-1991, college: Fairmont St.) fired 21 points and 4 assists for the winners. Point guard Patrick Vieira (186-1993) chipped in 17 points. The former international guard Alex Garcia (190-1980, agency: Interperformances) produced 15 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and Anderson Rodrigues (207-1997) added 15 points and 11 rebounds respectively for lost side. Four Botafogo and five Bauru players scored in double figures. Botafogo moved-up to seventeenth place. Bauru lost their third game in a row. They keep the ninth position with seven games lost. Botafogo will meet higher ranked Corinthians (#12) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Bauru will play against Brasilia and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Botafogo: I.Thornton 21+3reb+4ast, P.Vieira 17+3reb+3ast, M.Brito 12+5reb+4ast, R.Santiago 11+4reb+4ast, G.Ferreira 8+4reb+1ast, E.Matias 8+5reb
Bauru: R.Anderson 15+11reb+1ast, L.Taylor 15+3reb+1ast, A.Garcia 15+7reb+5ast, D.Brite 13+2reb+6ast, G.Sacco 11+3reb+4ast, M.Cabrera 5+3reb+3ast

Brasilia - Mogi 81-80

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 19th ranked Mogi's (1-10) road loss to eighteenth ranked Brasilia (3-7) 80-81 on Thursday. Guard Paulo Da Costa (193-1994) fired 23 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. American guard Thomas Cooper (196-1992, college: Calgary) chipped in 22 points and 5 rebounds. Naturalized American Shamell Stallworth (195-1980, college: USF) produced 25 points and point guard Lucas Lacerda (180-1997) added 15 points and 6 assists respectively for lost side. Four Mogi players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Brasilia moved-up to fifteenth place. Mogi lost their fourth game in a row. They stay at the bottom position with ten games lost. Brasilia will meet higher ranked Bauru (#9) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Mogi will play against Pinheiros (#18) in Sao Paulo and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Brasilia: P.Da Costa 23+6reb+3ast, T.Cooper 22+5reb+2ast, C.Alaekwe 15+7reb+1ast, T.Oliveira 6+5reb+1ast, A.Allan 5+2reb+1ast, A.Dalaqua 3+1reb+2ast
Mogi: S.Stallworth 25+2reb+1ast, L.Lacerda 15+3reb+6ast, G.Lessa 14+4reb+3ast, V.Pastor 11+5reb+2ast, L.Paulo Dos Santos 7+11reb+1ast, M.Luiz 3+1reb

U.Corinthians - Sao Paulo 74-81

Everything could happen in Santa Cruz do Sul at the game between two tied teams. Both twelfth ranked Sao Paulo and 11th ranked U.Corinthians had identical 4-6 record. But U.Corinthians was not able to use a home court advantage and lost to the opponent from Sao Paulo 81-74 on Thursday night. Sao Paulo dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to U.Corinthians' 32. Center Ralfi Ansaloni (211-1987) fired 18 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. American power forward Tyrone Curnell (203-1988, college: Valdosta St.) chipped in 10 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Five Sao Paulo players scored in double figures. Serbian guard Radovan Djokovic (196-1996) produced 20 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists and American guard Kendall Stephens (198-1994, college: Nevada) added 18 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Sao Paulo (5-6) moved-up to tenth place. U.Corinthians lost their fifth game in a row. They dropped to the thirteenth position with seven games lost. They share it with Caxias do Sul. Sao Paulo will meet at home higher ranked Vasco da Gama (#5) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. U.Corinthians will play against UniFacisa (#8) in Paraiba and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sao Paulo: R.Ansaloni 18+5reb+1ast, C.Bennett 15+2reb+4ast, L.Siewert 14+6reb+1ast, M.Miller 14+4reb+3ast, T.Curnell 10+9reb+4ast, B.Duarte 5+1reb+3ast
U.Corinthians: R.Djokovic 20+7reb+6ast, K.Stephens 18+5reb+2ast, C.Jamison 14+3reb+2ast, D.Johnson 9+5reb+3ast, M.Vinicius 8+1reb+2ast, C.Arthur 5+3reb

Corinthians - Pinheiros 94-92

Not a big story in a game in Sao Paulo where 17th ranked Pinheiros (2-7) was edged by fourteenth ranked Corinthians (4-5) 94-92 on Thursday. Corinthians looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. The former international forward Leonardo Demetrio (203-1994) fired a double-double by scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. The former international point guard Elinho Corazza (191-1989, college: Miami Dade CC) chipped in a double-double by scoring 12 points and 13 assists. Point guard Adyel Borges (188-2002) produced 27 points and Italian-Argentinian forward Federico Aguerre (203-1988) added 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for lost side. Five Corinthians and four Pinheiros players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Corinthians moved-up to twelfth place. Pinheiros lost their fourth game in a row. They dropped to the eighteenth position with seven games lost. Corinthians will meet at home Botafogo (#17) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Pinheiros will play against Sao Jose and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Corinthians: L.Demetrio 21+12reb+2ast, L.Caue 15+8reb, O.Daniel 14+4reb+1ast, R.Hettsheimeir 14+1reb+1ast, C.Borges 13+3ast, E.Corazza 12+4reb+13ast
Pinheiros: B.Adyel 27+3reb+2ast, F.Aguerre 12+8reb+4ast, S.Paulo 12+8reb+2ast, B.Yan 10+4reb, L.Rasio 9+6reb+2ast, J.Oliveira 8+2reb

Caxias do Sul - Paulistano 65-81

Everything went according to plan when fifth ranked Paulistano (8-3) beat on the road 13th ranked Caxias do Sul (4-7) 81-65 on Thursday. Paulistano dominated down low during the game scoring 52 of its points in the paint compared to Caxias do Sul's 32. Naturalized American guard Kevin Crescenzi (192-1993, college: Dartmouth) fired 20 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists for the winners. Argentinian point guard Santiago Ferreyra (188-1997) chipped in 9 points and 7 rebounds. Paulistano's coach used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Wesley Alves (198-1996) produced 12 points and forward Diego Conceicao (199-1987) added 12 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Paulistano moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Vasco da Gama. Caxias do Sul lost their fifth game in a row. They keep the thirteenth position with seven games lost. They share it with U.Corinthians. Paulistano will meet at home Botafogo (#17) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Caxias do Sul will play against the league's second-placed Cearense (#2) in Fortaleza and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Paulistano: K.Crescenzi 20+7reb+8ast, V.Camilo 15+3reb, L.Doria 13+3reb+1ast, S.Ferreyra 9+7reb+3ast, A.Andre 8+3reb+1ast, C.Bruno 6+2reb
Caxias do Sul: W.Alves 12+4reb+2ast, D.Conceicao 12+5reb, K.Dawkins 10+2reb+3ast, A.Konsztadt 9+3reb+4ast, C.Vinicius 7+8reb+1ast, R.Oliveira 6+6reb

Minas - Cearense 93-88

The game between Top Four teams took place in Belo Horizonte. First ranked host Minas (10-1) defeated their biggest opponent Fortaleza (8-2) 93-88. It ended at the same time the five-game winning streak of Fortaleza. Minas looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Forward Alexandre Paranhos (204-1992) fired a double-double by scoring 19 points and 15 rebounds for the winners. Argentinian point guard Franco Baralle (185-1999) chipped in 16 points and 9 assists. Minas' coach Leonardo Costa allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. Argentinian point guard Sebastian Orresta (188-1993) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists and American guard William Buford (196-1990, college: Ohio St.) added 19 points and 8 rebounds respectively for lost side. Four Minas and five Cearense players scored in double figures. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Minas. They maintain first place with 10-1 record. Loser Fortaleza keeps the second position with two games lost. They share it with Flamengo. Minas will meet at home Cerrado (#16) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Cearense will play against Caxias do Sul (#14) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Minas: F.Vezaro 22+5reb, A.Paranhos 19+15reb+1ast, F.Baralle 16+4reb+9ast, L.Gonzalez 11+2reb+4ast, D.Fuzaro 9+1reb, R.Mineiro 7+4reb+5ast
Cearense: W.Buford 19+8reb+2ast, E.Carvalho 16+9reb+4ast, E.Ewing 16+6reb+3ast, F.Salsamendi 15+1reb+3ast, S.Orresta 12+8reb+10ast, D.McClanahan 7+1reb+2ast

Pato - UniFacisa 64-68

There was no surprise in Pato Branco where 11th ranked Pato (5-8) was defeated by ninth ranked UNIFACISA (6-4) 68-64 on Friday. UniFacisa made 26-of-30 free shots (86.7 percent) during the game, while Pato only scored eight points from the stripe. Power forward Rafael Rachel (205-2000) fired a double-double by scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds for the winners. The former international Andre Bresolin (195-1987) chipped in 12 points. Four UNIFACISA players scored in double figures. Guard Fabricio Verissimo (192-1998) produced a double-double by scoring 17 points and 12 rebounds and the former international Eduardo Sommer (205-1994) added 16 points and 8 rebounds respectively for lost side. UniFacisa moved-up to eighth place. Pato lost their fourth game in a row. They keep the eleventh position with eight games lost. UniFacisa will meet at home U.Corinthians (#13) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Pato will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
UniFacisa: R.Rafael 18+12reb+1ast, M.Solanas 12+5reb, A.Bresolin 12+3reb+2ast, T.Gaskins 10+2reb+3ast, F.Corvalan 6+2reb+1ast, D.Nesbitt 6+4reb
Pato: F.Verissimo 17+12reb+1ast, E.Sommer 16+8reb+2ast, N.Gabriel 11+4reb+2ast, M.De Souza 8+2reb+2ast, A.Pecos 6+5reb+4ast, J.Materan 4+3reb

Flamengo - Sesi Franca 93-67

Everything could happen in Rio de Janeiro at the game between two tied teams. Both fourth ranked Flamengo and 5th ranked Vivo/Franca had identical 7-2 record. This time Flamengo used a home court advantage and outleveled the opponent from Sao Paulo 93-67 on Saturday night. It was a key game for the second position in the league. Flamengo looked well-organized offensively handing out 29 assists comparing to just 12 passes made by Sesi Franca's players. The former international Gabriel Galvanini (202-1998) fired a double-double by scoring 23 points and 14 rebounds for the winners. The former international guard Scott Machado (185-1990, college: Iona) chipped in 14 points and 9 assists. Flamengo's coach Gustavo Conti felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Venezuelan point guard Heissler Guillent (186-1986) produced 17 points and the former international Jhonatan dos Santos (199-1987) added 14 points respectively for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. The victory was the third consecutive win for Flamengo. They moved-up to second place, which they share with Cearense. Loser Vivo/Franca dropped to the sixth position with three games lost. They share it with Sao Jose. Flamengo will meet Sao Paulo (#10) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Sesi Franca will play against Cerrado (#16) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Flamengo: G.Galvanini 23+14reb+3ast, M.Cuello 18+4reb+3ast, S.Machado 14+4reb+9ast, M.Tavares 10+2reb+1ast, G.Pereira 6+2reb+1ast, M.Filipovity 6+4reb
Sesi Franca: H.Guillent 17+4reb+1ast, J.dos Santos 14+4reb+2ast, S.Scala 12+3reb+3ast, S.Marcio 11+3reb, L.Silva 6+4reb+2ast, F.Nathan 5+5reb

Cerrado - Sao Jose 74-78

Very expected game in Brasilia where 15th ranked Cerrado (3-8) was defeated by seventh ranked Sao Jose (7-3) 78-74 on Saturday. Power forward Renato Carbonari (202-1987) fired 19 points and 7 rebounds for the winners. Forward Arthur Bernardi (205-1990, college: HCU) chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds. Guard Matheus Silva (189-2001) produced 15 points and 7 assists and guard Daniel Von Haydin (194-1999) added 10 points respectively for lost side. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. The victory was the sixth consecutive win for Sao Jose. They moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Sesi Franca. Loser Cerrado dropped to the sixteenth position with eight games lost. Sao Jose will meet Pinheiros (#18) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Cerrado will play against Sesi Franca in Sao Paulo and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sao Jose: R.Carbonari 19+7reb+1ast, P.Chourio 16+2reb+1ast, A.Bernardi 13+7reb+1ast, D.Figueredo 7+5reb+7ast, V.Leal 7+8reb+1ast, D.Silva 7+1reb
Cerrado: W.Green 16+1reb, S.Matheus 15+4reb+7ast, V.Haydin Daniel 10+4reb+3ast, G.Santos 8+2reb, G.Gillard 8+5reb+2ast, W.Maicon 6+3reb

Vasco da Gama - Bauru 67-58

Rather predictable result in Rio de Janeiro where sixth ranked Vasco da Gama (8-3) defeated 9th ranked Paschoalotto/Bauru (6-7) 67-58 on Saturday. Vasco da Gama looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Rafael Paulichi (201-1998) fired a double-double by scoring 21 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. Guard Matheus Eugeniusz (193-2000) chipped in 17 points and 5 rebounds. Vasco da Gama's coach used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Anderson Rodrigues (207-1997) produced 12 points and 8 rebounds and the former international guard Alex Garcia (190-1980, agency: Interperformances) added 9 points and 7 assists respectively for lost side. Vasco da Gama moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Paulistano. Bauru lost their third game in a row. They keep the ninth position with seven games lost. Vasco da Gama will meet Sao Paulo (#10) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Bauru will play against Brasilia and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Vasco da Gama: R.Paulichi 21+11reb+1ast, E.Matheus 17+5reb+2ast, F.Russo 11+3reb+4ast, M.Vieira 6+5reb+5ast, C.Sergio 5+2reb, L.Basilio 5+3reb+6ast
Bauru: R.Anderson 12+8reb, L.Taylor 10+3reb, A.Garcia 9+3reb+7ast, M.Maciel 9+5reb+1ast, D.Brite 9+1reb+4ast, G.Sacco 5+3reb+1ast