Analysis: Planning is key, but dispute is open at the NBB

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Regardless of the sport, teams that have long-term jobs tend to have the upper hand. Implementing a philosophy takes time; the professional understands his role in the team, ditto.

In the NBB (New Basketball Brazil) that starts this Saturday (15), this seems to be the mentality of the champion Franca to defend his trophy.

There are 17 teams coveting the cup. So far, only five shirts have achieved this feat: Flamengo (7 times), Brasília (3), Bauru (1), Paulistano (1) and Franca (1).

Despite being super traditional in basketball, Franca has only now won his first title in the NBB era, a new model for the Brazilian men’s league. The team has not celebrated a national title since 1999, when it had Hélio Rubens as coach.

The most recent champion cry came right from the son of the multi-champion. The francan Helinho Garcia was in charge of the impeccable campaign (38 victories and only 5 defeats) and was able to celebrate in the packed Pedrocão gymnasium.

After dominating the championship from start to finish in 2021/22 and beating Flamengo in the final, the team opted for the renewal of practically all its players. He continued the ten who won the gold medal and fought to keep his “Big Three”, formed by Lucas Dias, Georginho and Lucas Mariano, also important in the Brazilian team, runner-up of the Copa América in September.

The team recently lifted another trophy. Even without its main players and without Commander Helinho, who is assistant coach of Verdinha (in basketball, Brazil plays in Verde), the team maintained its regularity and went to the final of the Paulista Championship. In the playoffs, already with its complete formation, it closed in 2 to 1, in the last Thursday (13), the decisive series against São Paulo.

The talented forward Lucas Dias is going through a particularly exceptional phase, who had already been named MVP (most valuable player) of the NBB finals and was also chosen the best of the state decision.

Keeping the main athletes, the team still went after reinforcements like Didi Louzada, who passed through the NBA, had difficulty finding space in the North American basketball league and returned to where he started in an attempt to seek his best level. He arrives offering pace and speed, with everything to be one of the best defenders in the championship.

If basketball were an exact science, you could say that francan planning is perfect, but there are many factors that determine the success of a team. Conviviality, chemistry, group management, egos and injuries are decisive in the final result. You can’t nail it down, but it’s undeniable that Franca’s move to keep celebrating titles was interesting.

In the NBB, historically, Flamengo has always made good team builds. No wonder he is the biggest winner. However, this year, there was a major overhaul. Coach Gustavo de Conti, who also commands the Brazilian team, lost his main player, the light point guard Yago, who, in an excellent phase, transferred to German basketball.

Gustavinho had to search the market well to replace parts of the squad. When building a team, some say that it is important to “hurt an opponent when hiring”. That’s what Flamengo did when looking for scorers Deodato and Gabriel Jaú, who defended Minas and Bauru respectively, direct competitors in the G4.

Argentinians Penka Aguirre and Lucas Vildoza arrived in charge of the frame. To show them the way, the versatile Rafael Mineiro remained and, mainly, Olivinha, the God of the Race, very identified with the red-black crowd.

Minas and São Paulo reached the semifinals in the last edition and are candidates again to be among the top four.

The Morumbi team, since returning to the national basketball elite, reached at least the semifinals of all the tournaments it played. This year, however, he lost the best player in Brazil today, Bruno Caboclo, who tried to return to the NBA and ended up being released by the Boston Celtics.

It is practically impossible to replace a player with Caboclo’s potential, but the tricolor club has a strong base, with Elinho, Bennet, Tyrone, Marquinhos and Shamell. The last two are the biggest scorers of the national championship, but, injured, will not be available at the beginning of the championship.

São Paulo was runner-up in São Paulo this week, but lost the final game by more than 30 points (98 to 66), which leaves doubts about the possibility of remaining among the best. The team is the current champion of the BCLA (Basketball Champions League of the Americas), a kind of Copa Libertadores of basketball, and will have the chance to play in the Intercontinental Cup in 2023.

With a state-of-the-art club structure, Minas definitely entered the race to win medals. Last season, he was champion of the Super 8 Cup, a knockout tournament held between the eight best placed at the end of the first round of the NBB, and won the bronze medal at BCLA.

However, this year, once again, it undergoes a major restructuring. Coach Léo Costa and his commission chose to keep only three players who participated in the previous conquests. Players of international prominence arrived – as was the case with Argentine point guard Lucas Faggiano, who was in Spain –, but this choice for the non-continuity of the main athletes can affect performance in the short term.

Two of the biggest training clubs in the country, Pinheiros and Paulistano, have their core formed by youngsters from the basic categories, and the spirit looking towards the future of the sport must be emphasized and congratulated.

With representatives from the Northeast, Midwest, South and Southeast, the NBB strengthens its ties with football lovers across the country and gradually ceases to be a privilege of some centers.

In an attempt to retain the public, the NBB resumes its partnership with SporTV and maintains its broadcasts on open TV on Cultura. There will also be screenings on ESPN and the NBB’s own YouTube channel.

Coming into its 15th season, the NBB has a new face. The logo now has the silhouette of the idol Alex Garcia, from Bauru.

If the NBA is criticized for keeping a logo that some consider outdated – it is the silhouette of Jerry West, who defended the Los Angeles Lakers between 1960 and 1974 –, the NBB is right to pay this tribute to one of the biggest names in Brazilian basketball. . Although this has never been officially confirmed, the old logo is very reminiscent of the silhouette of the North American Robert Day, who played for Uberlândia and Bauru.

At 42 years old, Alex competed in all editions of the NBB and won four, three for Brasília, one for Bauru.

The national league gets it right by honoring a Brazilian idol in the logo. Brabo, as he is known, is the perfect mix of grit and talent, with a high “basketball IQ”, with a will to win.

His classic right hook (despite being left-handed) was the eternal image, but a defensive stance could very well have been chosen. Alex has been voted the best defender in the NBB nine times.

And keep fighting. He wears the 10 and the belt from Bauru, where he was elected MVP (Most Valuable Player) in 2014/15 and still champion and MVP of the finals in 2016/17. He leads the Dragon team in search of a classification to the G4, something that the team led by Guerrinha has not been able to achieve for three seasons.

League recognition demonstrates care for your product. Taking care of memory and praising those who have walked the path is part of creating a prosperous future. Recognition is better than fame and serves as an incentive for generations to come.

Writer Eduardo Galeano sums up the sport well: “We are because we win. If we lose, we cease to be”. Projects in any sport are often analyzed by the number of wins, which can be unfair.

In tennis, the ball can hit the tape and bounce to one side or the other. In football, the round can hit the beam and drip over the line. In basketball, the shot at the last second can bounce capriciously off the rim and go in or out.

Long-term planning, training, drawing board tactics, and individual talent facilitate positive outcome but do not ensure it. It’s not an exact science, that’s why it’s so exciting.

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