NBB Round 8 (Regular Season): Minas lose to Cerrado

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

Top ranked Minas (10-2) recorded its second loss in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday night. Hosts were edged by sixteenth ranked Cerrado (4-9) 68-67. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Minas. The best player for the winners was point guard Guilherme Santos (189-1997) who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds. Guard Matheus Silva (189-2001) chipped in 18 points and 4 assists. Germerson Barbosa (205-1993) produced 19 points for the hosts. Cerrado maintains sixteenth position with 4-9 record. Minas at the other side still keeps top place with two games lost. They share the position with Flamengo. Cerrado are looking forward to face higher ranked Bauru (#9) on the road in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Minas will play against Pinheiros (#15) in Sao Paulo and is hoping to win this game.
Another exciting game was played in Rio de Janeiro between third ranked Sesi Franca and 7th ranked Vasco da Gama where Sesi Franca (10-3) beat Vasco da Gama (9-4) on the road 77-64. International center Lucas Silva (208-1995) orchestrated the victory by scoring 20 points and 5 rebounds. Santiago Scala contributed with 19 points for the winners. Guard Caue Freitas (192-1988) replied with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for Vasco da Gama. Sesi Franca have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 10-3 record having just one point less than leader Minas. Newly promoted Vasco da Gama dropped to the fourth place with four games lost. They share the position with Paulistano. Sesi Franca will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Vasco da Gama will play on the road against Pinheiros (#15) in Sao Paulo and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Bottom-ranked Mogi managed to get a second victory on Tuesday night. This time they won against fourteenth-ranked Corinthians in Sao Paulo 77-73. Worth to mention a great performance of Lucas Lacerda who helped to win the game recording 34 points (!!!) and 5 assists. Rafael Hettsheimeir responded with 18 points. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Mogi maintains nineteenth position with 2-11 record. Loser Corinthians keeps the fourteenth place with seven games lost. They share the position with Pinheiros. Mogi will meet higher ranked Sao Jose (#8) on the road in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Corinthians will play against Pato (#12) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

Rest of the games of round 8 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Sao Jose crushed Brasilia in a road game 92-66. Sao Paulo beat Botafogo at home 78-77. Flamengo won against Paulistano on the opponent's court 77-72. UniFacisa managed to outperform Caxias do Sul in a home game 94-80. U.Corinthians managed to beat Cearense on the road 78-74. Paulistano defeated Botafogo on its own court 85-77. Flamengo beat Sao Paulo in Rio de Janeiro 83-70. Sesi Franca destroyed Brasilia at home 100-77. Bottom-ranked Mogi unfortunately lost to Pinheiros on the opponent's court 69-75. Cearense recorded a loss to Caxias do Sul in a home game 62-63. U.Corinthians was defeated by UniFacisa on the road 86-80. Sao Paulo was beaten by Vasco da Gama on its own court 70-75. Sao Jose lost to Pinheiros in Sao Paulo 71-73. Sesi Franca managed to outperform Cerrado at home 80-77. Brasilia recorded a loss to Bauru on the opponent's court 82-73. Corinthians was defeated by Botafogo in a home game 86-91.
The best stats of 8th round was 35 points (!!!) and 4 assists by Isaac Thornton of Botafogo.



Brasilia - Sao Jose 66-92

There was no surprise when 17th ranked Brasilia (3-10) was crushed at home by fifth ranked Sao Jose (8-4) 92-66 on Monday. Sao Jose dominated down low during the game scoring 54 of its points in the paint compared to Brasilia's 26. They outrebounded Brasilia 43-25 including a 35-18 advantage in defensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of Douglas Silva (201-1998) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 19 points and 12 rebounds and Argentinian Leonardo Lema (204-1998) who added 16 points and 5 rebounds during the contest. American guard Thomas Cooper (196-1992, college: Calgary) responded with 19 points and 6 rebounds and guard Dalaqua Almentra (182-2000) scored 13 points and 5 rebounds. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Sao Jose have an impressive seven-game winning streak. Despite that victory Sao Jose went down to sixth position due to points difference, which they share with Cearense and UniFacisa. Brasilia lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the eighteenth place with ten games lost. Sao Jose will meet at home bottom-ranked Mogi (#19) in the next round which should be another easy win for them. Brasilia will play against Paulistano and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Brasilia: T.Cooper 19+6reb, P.Da Costa 13+3reb, A.Dalaqua 13+5reb+2ast, V.Gabriel 7+1reb, C.Alaekwe 6+2reb+2ast, S.Gustavo 4+1reb
Sao Jose: D.Silva 19+12reb+1ast, L.Lema 16+5reb+2ast, R.Carbonari 11+6reb+3ast, P.Pedro 10+1reb, P.Chourio 9+2ast, N.Vitor 9+2reb

Vasco da Gama - Sesi Franca 64-77

Another exciting game was played in Rio de Janeiro between third ranked Sesi Franca and 7th ranked Vasco da Gama where Sesi Franca (10-3) beat Vasco da Gama (9-4) on the road 77-64. Vivo/Franca forced 19 Vasco da Gama turnovers. Vasco da Gama was plagued by 25 personal fouls down the stretch. International center Lucas Silva (208-1995) orchestrated the victory by scoring 20 points and 5 rebounds. Argentinian guard Santiago Scala (187-1991) contributed with 19 points for the winners. Four Vivo/Franca players scored in double figures. Guard Caue Freitas (192-1988) replied with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists and guard Matheus Eugeniusz (193-2000) added 14 points in the effort for Vasco da Gama. Sesi Franca have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain third position with 10-3 record having just one point less than leader Minas. Newly promoted Vasco da Gama dropped to the fourth place with four games lost. They share the position with Paulistano. Sesi Franca will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Vasco da Gama will play on the road against Pinheiros (#15) in Sao Paulo and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Vasco da Gama: E.Matheus 14+3reb+3ast, H.Silva 11+2reb+4ast, C.Freitas 10+6reb+4ast, F.Russo 8+6reb+2ast, M.Vieira 7+4reb, R.Paulichi 5+3reb+3ast
Sesi Franca: L.Silva 20+5reb+1ast, S.Scala 19+3reb+3ast, H.Guillent 11+3reb+5ast, B.Paulo 10+4reb+3ast, F.Nathan 6, S.Marcio 5+4reb+1ast

Sao Paulo - Botafogo 78-77

No shocking result in a game when tenth ranked Sao Paulo (6-8) edged at home 18th ranked Botafogo (4-11) 78-77 on Monday. However just one-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Sao Paulo made 17-of-22 free shots (77.3 percent) during the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Malcolm Miller (201-1991, college: Southern) who helped to win the game recording 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and center Ralfi Ansaloni (211-1987) who added 19 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. Four Sao Paulo players scored in double figures. American guard Isaac Thornton (193-1991, college: Fairmont St.) responded with 33 points (!!!) and 6 rebounds and forward Emanuel Matias (202-1999) scored 13 points and 8 rebounds. Botafogo's coach Miguel Palmier rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Sao Paulo maintains tenth position with 6-8 record. Newly promoted Botafogo dropped to the seventeenth place with 11 games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Botafogo: I.Thornton 33+6reb+3ast, E.Matias 13+8reb+2ast, A.Augusto 9+6reb+1ast, M.Brito 8+6reb+9ast, P.Vieira 7+2reb+1ast, G.Ferreira 4+3reb
Sao Paulo: M.Miller 22+7reb+4ast, R.Ansaloni 19+9reb, B.Duarte 13+4reb+5ast, C.Bennett 10+4reb+4ast, T.Curnell 9+4reb+2ast, V.Faverani 5+3reb+2ast

Paulistano - Flamengo 72-77

Rather expected game in Sao Paulo where 6th ranked Paulistano (9-4) was defeated by third ranked Flamengo (10-2) 77-72 on Tuesday. Flamengo made 18-of-22 free shots (81.8 percent) during the game. Flamengo had a 26-15 advantage in offensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international Gabriel Galvanini (202-1998) who helped to win the game recording 16 points and 6 rebounds (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line) and the former international guard Scott Machado (185-1990, college: Iona) who added 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. Four Flamengo players scored in double figures. Naturalized American guard Kevin Crescenzi (192-1993, college: Dartmouth) responded with 17 points and 5 rebounds and Victor Camilo (203-1997) scored 12 points and 8 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Flamengo have an impressive five-game winning streak. They used an opportunity after Minas lost their game and moved up joining them at the top position. Loser Paulistano dropped to the fourth place with four games lost. They share the position with Vasco da Gama. Flamengo will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Paulistano will play against Brasilia (#18) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Paulistano: K.Crescenzi 17+5reb+3ast, V.Camilo 12+8reb+3ast, F.Vinicius 11+2ast, S.Ferreyra 9+6reb+3ast, C.Bruno 8+1reb, A.Andre 7+1ast
Flamengo: G.Galvanini 16+6reb+1ast, D.Louzada 14+4reb+1ast, G.Pereira 11+3reb+2ast, S.Machado 10+6reb+4ast, M.Cuello 8+3reb, M.Tavares 6+6reb+2ast

Corinthians - Mogi 73-77

Bottom-ranked Mogi managed to get a second victory on Tuesday night. This time they won against fourteenth-ranked Corinthians in Sao Paulo 77-73. Mogi made 16-of-18 free shots (88.9 percent) during the game. Worth to mention a great performance of point guard Lucas Lacerda (180-1997) who helped to win the game recording 34 points (!!!) and 5 assists and naturalized American Shamell Stallworth (195-1980, college: USF) who added 14 points and 6 rebounds during the contest. The former international center Rafael Hettsheimeir (210-1986) responded with 18 points and the former international guard Caue Borges (187-1991) scored 12 points and 6 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Mogi maintains nineteenth position with 2-11 record. Loser Corinthians keeps the fourteenth place with seven games lost. They share the position with Pinheiros. Mogi will meet higher ranked Sao Jose (#8) on the road in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Corinthians will play against Pato (#12) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Corinthians: R.Hettsheimeir 18+3reb, O.Daniel 15+5reb, C.Borges 12+6reb+2ast, E.Corazza 9+3reb+7ast, I.Goncalves 6+2reb+1ast, C.Gabriel 5+2reb+3ast
Mogi: L.Lacerda 34+4reb+5ast, S.Stallworth 14+6reb+2ast, S.Lukas 10+5reb+1ast, V.Pastor 6+8reb+4ast, M.Iago 4+1reb, R.Victor 3+1reb+1ast

Minas - Cerrado 67-68

Top ranked Minas (10-2) recorded its second loss in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday night. Hosts were edged by sixteenth ranked Cerrado (4-9) 68-67. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Minas. The best player for the winners was point guard Guilherme Santos (189-1997) who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds. Guard Matheus Silva (189-2001) chipped in 18 points and 4 assists. Germerson Barbosa (205-1993) produced 19 points and the former international forward Rafael Mineiro (208-1988) added 13 points and 9 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Cerrado maintains sixteenth position with 4-9 record. Minas at the other side still keeps top place with two games lost. They share the position with Flamengo. Cerrado are looking forward to face higher ranked Bauru (#9) on the road in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Minas will play against Pinheiros (#15) in Sao Paulo and is hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Minas: G.Barbosa 19+4reb, R.Mineiro 13+9reb, R.Lenz 12+3reb, F.Baralle 6+3reb+2ast, D.Fuzaro 6+2reb+4ast, A.Paranhos 5+7reb+2ast
Cerrado: G.Santos 22+6reb+3ast, S.Matheus 18+1reb+4ast, T.Dias 11+2reb, V.Haydin Daniel 5+4reb+2ast, B.de Abreu Andre 5+5reb, W.Maicon 4+4reb+1ast

UniFacisa - Caxias do Sul 94-80

Very predictable result in Paraiba where eighth ranked UNIFACISA (8-4) beat 14th ranked Caxias do Sul (5-8) 94-80 on Wednesday. UniFacisa made 16-of-21 free shots (76.2 percent) during the game. Worth to mention a great performance of Argentinian-Italian point guard Facundo Corvalan (190-1998) who helped to win the game recording 19 points, 5 assists and 4 steals and Argentinian Matias Solanas (192-1998) who added 20 points during the contest. Four UNIFACISA players scored in double figures. UNIFACISA's coach Cesar Guidetti used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Leonardo Cravero (200-2002) responded with 19 points and 6 rebounds and Vinicius Chagas (202-2001) scored 14 points and 6 rebounds. UniFacisa moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Sao Jose and Cearense. Loser Caxias do Sul dropped to the eleventh position with eight games lost. They share it with U.Corinthians and Pato. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Caxias do Sul: C.Leonardo 19+6reb+1ast, C.Vinicius 14+6reb+2ast, W.Alves 10+3reb+2ast, O.Elias 8+4reb+1ast, R.Oliveira 8+7reb+1ast, K.Dawkins 7+2reb+5ast
UniFacisa: M.Solanas 20+4reb+2ast, F.Corvalan 19+2reb+5ast, R.Rafael 17+7reb, A.Bresolin 15+2reb+3ast, G.Hubner 8+5reb, V.Lersch 7+3reb+6ast

Cearense - U.Corinthians 74-78

There was an upset when higher ranked Fortaleza (8-4) was defeated at home by eleventh ranked U.Corinthians (5-8) 78-74 on Wednesday. Worth to mention a great performance of Serbian guard Radovan Djokovic (196-1996) who helped to win the game recording 17 points and 6 assists and guard Pedro Nunes (197-2008) who added 6 points and 9 rebounds during the contest. American power forward Eden Ewing (204-1997, college: Texas Southern) responded with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 13 rebounds and point guard Cassiano Bueno (189-1997) scored 19 points (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field). Five Cearense players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. U.Corinthians maintains eleventh position with 5-8 record, which they share with Caxias do Sul and Pato. Loser Fortaleza dropped to the sixth place with four games lost. They share the position with Sao Jose and UniFacisa. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Cearense: C.Bueno 19+1reb+3ast, E.Ewing 16+13reb+2ast, D.McClanahan 12+1reb, F.Queiros 11+5reb+1ast, E.Carvalho 10+7reb+2ast, F.Salsamendi 2
U.Corinthians: R.Djokovic 17+4reb+6ast, K.Stephens 13+2reb, E.Ruiz 10+2reb+1ast, A.Coimbra 10+5reb, D.Johnson 7+6reb+2ast, P.Nunes 6+9reb+2ast

Paulistano - Botafogo 85-77

Everything went according to plan in Sao Paulo where sixth ranked Paulistano (9-4) won against 18th ranked Botafogo (4-11) 85-77 on Thursday. Paulistano made 23-of-28 free shots (82.1 percent) during the game. Paulistano outrebounded Botafogo 39-26 including a 16-5 advantage in offensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of forward Bruno Cardoso (197-2002) who helped to win the game recording 20 points and 7 rebounds and naturalized American guard Kevin Crescenzi (192-1993, college: Dartmouth) who added 11 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. Five Paulistano players scored in double figures. American guard Isaac Thornton (193-1991, college: Fairmont St.) responded with 20 points and 5 rebounds and point guard Patrick Vieira (186-1993) scored 18 points. Botafogo's coach Miguel Palmier rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Paulistano moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Vasco da Gama. Newly promoted Botafogo dropped to the seventeenth position with 11 games lost. Paulistano will meet Brasilia (#18) on the road in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Botafogo will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Botafogo: I.Thornton 20+5reb+1ast, P.Vieira 18+3reb+2ast, J.Smith 7+2reb+5ast, M.Brito 7+1reb+2ast, R.Santiago 6+4reb, A.Augusto 6+4reb
Paulistano: C.Bruno 20+7reb+1ast, V.Camilo 15+5reb+2ast, S.Ferreyra 14+2reb+4ast, A.Andre 11+7reb+1ast, K.Crescenzi 11+8reb+4ast, L.Doria 10+5reb+1ast

Sao Paulo - Flamengo 70-83

There was no surprise when 10th ranked Sao Paulo (6-8) was defeated at home by third ranked Flamengo (10-2) 83-70 on Thursday. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international Gabriel Galvanini (202-1998) who helped to win the game recording 24 points and 9 rebounds and the former international guard Gui Pereira (192-1991) who added 23 points during the contest. The former international Betinho Duarte (195-1988) responded with 20 points and the former international point guard Ricardo Fischer (183-1991) scored 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Four Sao Paulo players scored in double figures. Flamengo have an impressive five-game winning streak. They used an opportunity after Minas lost their game and moved up joining them at the top position. Loser Sao Paulo keeps the tenth place with eight games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Sao Paulo: B.Duarte 20+1reb+2ast, R.Fischer 12+6reb+4ast, M.Miller 12+3reb+2ast, L.Siewert 10+2reb+2ast, C.Bennett 5+2reb+1ast, T.Curnell 5+5reb
Flamengo: G.Galvanini 24+9reb+3ast, G.Pereira 23+3reb+3ast, D.Louzada 13+7reb+2ast, S.Machado 8+3reb+7ast, M.Tavares 6+1reb, F.Balbi 3+4reb+3ast

Sesi Franca - Brasilia 100-77

No shocking result in a game in Sao Paulo where third ranked Vivo/Franca (10-3) smashed 17th ranked Brasilia (3-10) 100-77 on Thursday. Sesi Franca shot 66.0 percent from the field and made 21-of-24 free shots (87.5 percent) during the game. Sesi Franca outrebounded Brasilia 37-26 including a 34-15 advantage in defensive rebounds. Sesi Franca shot the lights out from three sinking 13 long-distance shots on high 56.5 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists comparing to just 11 passes made by Brasilia's players. Worth to mention a great performance of international center Lucas Silva (208-1995) who helped to win the game recording 21 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists and Venezuelan point guard Heissler Guillent (186-1986) who added 20 points and 7 rebounds (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) during the contest. Four Vivo/Franca players scored in double figures. Vivo/Franca's coach Helinho Garcia felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American guard Christian Alaekwe (193, college: St.Thomas, TX) responded with 18 points and 5 rebounds and the former international guard Deryk Ramos (185-1994) scored 14 points and 5 assists. Vivo/Franca have a solid three-game winning streak. Sesi Franca maintains third position with 10-3 record having just one point less than leader Minas. Brasilia lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the eighteenth place with ten games lost. Sesi Franca will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Brasilia will play against Paulistano (#4) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Brasilia: C.Alaekwe 18+5reb+2ast, T.Cooper 14+2reb, D.Ramos 14+1reb+5ast, P.Da Costa 9+5reb, A.Allan 7, A.Dalaqua 7+3reb+3ast
Sesi Franca: L.Silva 21+6reb+5ast, H.Guillent 20+7reb+3ast, W.Ferreira 15+7reb+3ast, B.Paulo 11+3reb+5ast, J.dos Santos 8+4reb+2ast, S.Marcio 8+3reb+1ast

Pinheiros - Mogi 75-69

Rather expected game in Sao Paulo where 19th ranked Mogi (2-11) was defeated by sixteenth ranked Pinheiros (4-7) 75-69 on Thursday. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international Jimmy Oliveira (190-1990) who helped to win the game recording 16 points and 6 rebounds and naturalized Guinea-Bissau forward Yan Barbosa (204-2001) who added 18 points during the contest. Point guard Lucas Lacerda (180-1997) responded with 16 points and 7 assists and naturalized American Shamell Stallworth (195-1980, college: USF) scored 15 points. Both coaches tested many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Pinheiros moved-up to fourteenth place, which they share with Corinthians. Loser Mogi stay at the bottom position with 11 games lost. Pinheiros will meet at home league's leader Minas in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Mogi will play against Sao Jose (#8) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Mogi: L.Lacerda 16+4reb+7ast, S.Stallworth 15+2reb+1ast, C.Ware 12+2reb, L.Paulo Dos Santos 9+7reb+1ast, G.Lessa 7+4reb+5ast, V.Pastor 5+5reb+3ast
Pinheiros: B.Yan 18+4reb, J.Oliveira 16+6reb+2ast, F.Tiago 13+1reb+2ast, S.Agapy 6+5reb, F.Ruivo 6+3reb+5ast, F.Aguerre 4+1reb+6ast

Cearense - Caxias do Sul 62-63

There was a surprise result when fourteenth ranked Caxias do Sul (5-8) edged on the road higher ranked Fortaleza (8-4) 63-62 on Friday. Caxias do Sul forced 21 Cearense turnovers. Worth to mention a great performance of Rafa Oliveira (199-1993) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds and forward Diego Conceicao (199-1987) who added 14 points and 4 assists during the contest. American swingman Dexter McClanahan (193-1997, college: Nicholls St.) responded with 22 points and point guard Cassiano Bueno (189-1997) scored 5 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Caxias do Sul moved-up to eleventh place, which they share with U.Corinthians and Pato. Loser Fortaleza dropped to the sixth position with four games lost. They share it with Sao Jose and UniFacisa. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Cearense: D.McClanahan 22+1reb+2ast, F.Queiros 11+3reb+2ast, S.Orresta 9+5reb+3ast, E.Ewing 7+4reb+1ast, C.Bueno 5+10reb+5ast, F.Gabriel 4+1reb
Caxias do Sul: R.Oliveira 20+10reb+2ast, D.Conceicao 14+4reb+4ast, K.Dawkins 11+2reb+3ast, C.Leonardo 9+4reb+1ast, W.Alves 5+2reb+1ast, C.Vinicius 4+1reb

UniFacisa - U.Corinthians 86-80

Not a big story in a game in Paraiba where 11th ranked U.Corinthians (5-8) was defeated by eighth ranked UNIFACISA (8-4) 86-80 on Friday. UniFacisa made 20-of-22 free shots (90.9 percent) during the game. UniFacisa outrebounded U.Corinthians 38-24 including 25 on the defensive glass. Worth to mention a great performance of power forward Rafael Rachel (205-2000) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 19 points and 14 rebounds and point guard Vithor Lersch (184-1995) who added 12 points and 6 assists during the contest. American forward Duane Johnson (201-1991, college: ESU) responded with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists and Serbian guard Radovan Djokovic (196-1996) scored 14 points and 8 assists. Five UniFacisa and four U.Corinthians players scored in double figures. U.Corinthians' coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. UniFacisa moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Sao Jose and Cearense. Loser U.Corinthians keeps the eleventh position with eight games lost. They share it with Caxias do Sul and Pato. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
U.Corinthians: D.Johnson 19+9reb+6ast, K.Stephens 16+3reb+1ast, R.Djokovic 14+2reb+8ast, P.Nunes 10+6reb, A.Coimbra 7+1reb+1ast, M.Vinicius 6
UniFacisa: R.Rafael 19+14reb+1ast, D.Nesbitt 14+6reb, T.Gaskins 14+2reb+2ast, M.Solanas 13+4reb+1ast, V.Lersch 12+2reb+6ast, A.Bresolin 6+5reb+2ast

Sao Paulo - Vasco da Gama 70-75

Everything went according to plan when seventh ranked Vasco da Gama (9-4) won against on the road 10th ranked Sao Paulo (6-8) 75-70 on Saturday. Vasco da Gama made 23-of-28 free shots (82.1 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Vasco da Gama made 7 blocks. Worth to mention a great performance of guard Matheus Eugeniusz (193-2000) who helped to win the game recording 16 points and 6 assists and Rafael Paulichi (201-1998) who added 12 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. Four Vasco da Gama players scored in double figures. Vasco da Gama's coach used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American power forward Tyrone Curnell (203-1988, college: Valdosta St.) responded with 16 points and 5 rebounds and his fellow American import guard Malcolm Miller (201-1991, college: Southern) scored 16 points. Vasco da Gama moved-up to fourth place, which they share with Paulistano. Loser Sao Paulo keeps the tenth position with eight games lost. Vasco da Gama will meet Pinheiros (#15) in the next round which should be an easy win for them. Sao Paulo will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Sao Paulo: T.Curnell 16+5reb+2ast, M.Miller 16+3reb+3ast, R.Ansaloni 9+8reb+3ast, C.Bennett 9+3reb+1ast, L.Siewert 8+4reb, R.Fischer 6+4ast
Vasco da Gama: E.Matheus 16+2reb+6ast, M.Vieira 14+6reb+1ast, C.Sergio 14+2reb+1ast, R.Paulichi 12+7reb+2ast, C.Freitas 5+3reb+5ast, H.Silva 5+1reb+4ast

Pinheiros - Sao Jose 73-71

There was an upset in Sao Paulo where higher ranked Sao Jose (8-4) was edged by sixteenth ranked Pinheiros (4-7) 73-71 on Saturday. Pinheiros made 16-of-21 free shots (76.2 percent) during the game. Pinheiros had a 32-21 advantage in offensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international Jimmy Oliveira (190-1990) who helped to win the game recording 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and naturalized Guinea-Bissau forward Yan Barbosa (204-2001) who added 16 points and 5 rebounds during the contest. Power forward Renato Carbonari (202-1987) responded with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 11 rebounds and Douglas Silva (201-1998) scored 17 points and 7 rebounds. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Pinheiros moved-up to fourteenth place, which they share with Corinthians. Loser Sao Jose dropped to the sixth position with four games lost. They share it with Cearense and UniFacisa. Pinheiros will meet at home league's leader Minas in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Sao Jose will play against Mogi (#19) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sao Jose: D.Silva 17+7reb+1ast, R.Carbonari 13+11reb+2ast, V.Leal 11+4reb, D.Figueredo 9+1reb+11ast, L.Lema 9+4reb+1ast, A.Leao 5+1reb+2ast
Pinheiros: J.Oliveira 18+7reb+5ast, B.Yan 16+5reb, F.Aguerre 9+8reb+1ast, S.Paulo 9+5reb+1ast, F.Tiago 6, S.Agapy 5+5reb

Sesi Franca - Cerrado 80-77

No shocking result in a game in Sao Paulo where third ranked Vivo/Franca (10-3) edged 16th ranked Cerrado (4-9) 80-77 on Saturday. However just three-point win is not that big difference and the fans of host team counted on more convincing victory. Worth to mention a great performance of international center Lucas Silva (208-1995) who helped to win the game recording 20 points and 9 rebounds and the former international Wesley Ferreira (200-1995) who added 10 points during the contest. Guard Matheus Silva (189-2001) responded with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals and center Andre Barbosa de Abreu (212-2002) scored 18 points and 8 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Vivo/Franca have a solid three-game winning streak. Sesi Franca maintains third position with 10-3 record having just one point less than leader Minas. Loser Cerrado keeps the sixteenth place with nine games lost. Sesi Franca will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Cerrado will play against Bauru (#9) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Cerrado: G.Santos 19+5reb+1ast, B.de Abreu Andre 18+8reb+1ast, S.Matheus 16+7reb+4ast, D.Rossetto 13+6reb+8ast, V.Haydin Daniel 3+2ast, M.Eduardo 2+1reb
Sesi Franca: L.Silva 20+9reb+3ast, S.Scala 11+3ast, W.Ferreira 10+4reb+2ast, J.dos Santos 10+2reb, B.Paulo 7+1reb+2ast, S.Marcio 6+4reb

Bauru - Brasilia 82-73

Very expected game when 17th ranked Brasilia (3-10) was defeated on the road by ninth ranked Paschoalotto/Bauru (7-7) 82-73 on Saturday. Worth to mention a great performance of American point guard Dontrell Brite (175-1994, college: Mount Olive) who helped to win the game recording 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists and Anderson Rodrigues (207-1997) who added 14 points and 10 rebounds during the contest. Paschoalotto/Bauru's coach Everton Moraes used a ten-player rotation which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. American guard Christian Alaekwe (193, college: St.Thomas, TX) responded with 24 points and 6 rebounds and the former international guard Deryk Ramos (185-1994) scored 20 points. Five Bauru and four Brasilia players scored in double figures. Bauru maintains ninth position with 7-7 record. Brasilia lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the eighteenth place with ten games lost. Bauru will meet at home Cerrado (#16) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Brasilia will play against Paulistano and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Brasilia: C.Alaekwe 24+6reb, D.Ramos 20+4reb+3ast, P.Da Costa 12+8reb, T.Cooper 12+3reb+2ast, T.Oliveira 5+6reb+2ast, A.Allan 0+3reb
Bauru: D.Brite 15+8reb+4ast, R.Anderson 14+10reb+2ast, A.Garcia 13+5reb+3ast, J.Hollowell 12+3reb, G.Sacco 11+2reb+2ast, M.Maciel 7+5reb+1ast

Corinthians - Botafogo 86-91

There was a surprise result in Sao Paulo where eighteenth ranked Botafogo (4-11) beat higher ranked Corinthians (4-7) 91-86 on Saturday. Botafogo made 22-of-25 free shots (88.0 percent) during the game. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Isaac Thornton (193-1991, college: Fairmont St.) who helped to win the game recording 35 points (!!!) and 4 assists (was perfect 17-for-17 from the free throw line !!!) and forward Guilherme Estevao (204-2000) who added 13 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Swingman Daniel Onwenu (198-2002) responded with 20 points and 8 rebounds and the former international point guard Elinho Corazza (191-1989, college: Miami Dade CC) produced a double-double by scoring 11 points and 11 assists. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Botafogo moved-up to seventeenth place. Loser Corinthians keeps the fourteenth position with seven games lost. They share it with Pinheiros. Botafogo will have a break next round, and it should allow them to practice more before next game. Corinthians will play against Pato (#12) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Corinthians: O.Daniel 20+8reb+1ast, R.Hettsheimeir 18+8reb, C.Borges 17+2reb+4ast, E.Corazza 11+4reb+11ast, L.Demetrio 9+2reb, I.Goncalves 6+2reb
Botafogo: I.Thornton 35+4reb+4ast, J.Smith 16+3reb+3ast, E.Guilherme 13+8reb+2ast, P.Vieira 13+3reb, G.Ferreira 4+3reb, R.Santiago 3+2reb+1ast