Author: Dhruv Patil
In an intense clash on Monday night at the Felipe Karam gymnasium in Rio Claro (SP), Corinthians won a thrilling 87-78 victory over arch-rivals São Paulo to secure their place in the final of the Paulista Basketball Championship against Paulistano.
The star of the game was undoubtedly Corinthians’ power forward Rafael Hettsheimeir, who stood out as the top scorer with an impressive 25 points. São Paulo’s point guard Fischer led his team’s attack with 21 points.
The decisive match of the Campeonato Paulista between Corinthians and Paulistano is scheduled for this Wednesday at 8pm, once again in Rio Claro, in a single-match format. Earlier, at 5.30pm, Franca and São Paulo face off for third place, a rematch of the last two state finals and the previous season of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB).
Corinthians are seeking their 15th São Paulo title, with the aim of equaling Franca as the competition’s most successful team. Meanwhile, Paulistano are seeking their second title in the history of the tournament.
The game:
Corinthians, who entered the semi-finals with a strong campaign, got off to a promising start and established a 12-point lead in the first quarter, thanks to a brilliant performance from power forward Rafael Hettsheimeir. However, São Paulo, leaders in the qualifying phase, managed to recover at the end of the first period.
In the second quarter, São Paulo drew level, with the two teams taking turns in the lead. Even so, Corinthians managed to maintain their lead, going into halftime up 46-36.
São Paulo recovered in the third quarter, briefly taking the lead with six minutes to go. However, Corinthians stood firm and didn’t allow their opponents to pull away. Timão regained the lead, ending the third quarter with a five-point advantage.
In the final 10 minutes, Corinthians managed the game effectively, fending off São Paulo’s attempts to recover and securing their place in the championship match.
Room scores:
- 1st Quarter: São Paulo 16-21 Corinthians
- 2nd Quarter: São Paulo 20-25 Corinthians
- 3rd Quarter: São Paulo 25 – 20 Corinthians
- 4th Quarter: São Paulo 17-21 Corinthians