Double delight as Flamengo add Brazilian title to Liga Sudamericana title

Flamengo gave their fans plenty of cause for celebration this season after completing a Liga Sudamericana and Brazilian championship double.

Brazil international star Marcelinho poured in 27 points to lead the Rio club past Universo/BRB 76-68 in a Game 5 decider of the NBB Finals.

In a red-hot atmosphere with a crowd of more than 15,000 looking on at the HSBC Arena over the weekend, FIBA Americas League winners Universo/BRB watched as Flamengo opened up a 31-20 lead in the second quarter of the pivotal clash.

They clawed the deficit back to 42-36 by half-time but Marcelinho and Co kept their noses in front and claimed the victory.

Flamengo finished 26-2 in the regular season and then defeated Pinheiros in the Quarter-Finals and Joinville in the Semi-Finals, but they had to pull out all stops to defeat Universo/BRB, who had set up the deciding fifth game with an 82-78 overtime triumph on their home floor.

Paulo Chupeta, the Flamengo coach, said: “Everything was wonderful. This team was built to win. The unity of the players with the coaching staff is what made the biggest difference in this team.

“I am very happy for this title because it is very important to us. The NBB is to be congratulated.”

Marcelinho, who will be a key man this summer at the FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico for Brazil when they attempt to book a spot at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, said: “It was very exciting. We know about all the sacrifices we made to be in this tournament and we crowned it with this title. It is very good. Our team is what it is because of this wonderful crowd.”

Marcelinho’s fellow Brazil international Alex, the hero of the FIBA Americas League triumph, said: “On balance the season is positive. We achieved the title of the League of the Americas and are runners-up in Brazil, but we wanted the title. The NBB was successful this year, the finals were played in crowded gyms and it was great to be a basketball fan again.”