Corinthians duo reflect on reaching Paulista semi-finals | OneFootball

Corinthians hosted Pinheiros on the night of last Tuesday (8) at Ginásio Wlamir Marques, in Parque São Jorge, for the third game of the quarterfinals of the 2026 Paulista Basketball Championship, and won by a score of 82 to 65. With the result, the club from Parque São Jorge qualified for the semifinals of the tournament for the first time since 2023. The opponent will be Mogi, with dates and times yet to be defined.

Moments after the final buzzer, still on the court, forward Betinho and center Leal gave an interview to the Meu Timão portal and analyzed Corinthians’ qualification for the next stage of the state tournament. They also spoke about the team’s collective commitment in the 2-1 series victory — Timão eliminated Pinheiros again in a knockout matchup for the first time since 2019, when they beat their rival in the South American League.

Photo: Beto Miller/Corinthians Agency

Check out the two players’ answers:

Betinho – forward

Importance of qualifying for the state semifinals: “Getting back to a Paulista semifinal is important for the start of our work. It’s still a long year, there are many competitions we still have to play, but it’s a very important first step for us. That’s it — always keeping our feet on the ground, but we know this is a very important qualification for the continuity of our work, for us to have peace of mind to keep working and to know that we’re working the right way.”

Team’s merits in eliminating Pinheiros: “Playoffs, in my mind, are about adjustments. Game by game, we adjust to what the opponent shows, and we were able to adapt quickly in game two, especially in the fourth quarter, when we had a very good quarter. And today we started the game very well, managed to build a good lead, and carried it through to the end.”

Corinthians’ efficiency from three-point range in the third game: “Basketball today demands three-point shooting. If we shoot poorly, it’s very hard for us to win the game. We have good players. We have Victão, Gemadinha, me, Jamelão coming off the bench, so we have to make the most of that so we can have a good run and good things on offense. More or less, anyway.”

Younger squad for the 2026/2027 season due to Corinthians’ financial crisis: “As for the young squad, I think that mix is good — putting the boys in to develop. They have that drive, that willingness that maybe makes up a little for the physical energy, that thing of running the court, the intensity, that the older guys might lack a bit, but they make up for us.”

Leal – center

Praise for the opponent’s quality:“Pinheiros is a very strong team. It’s a young team, with a lot of energy, that runs the floor well. The team has been working very hard. Since we’ve had little time, we’ve been doing everything very quickly, preseason and all. The team deserves congratulations. The players are very committed, everyone working hard, and the team gives me those options, that inside game. The team has been supporting me a lot and even making me feel comfortable playing this kind of game.”

Team handled the absence of center Gabriel Novaes well: “I’m very happy with the result, very happy with the team’s effort. Unfortunately, we lost Novaes, but thank God I was able to help the team in his absence. The team also has other good centers, Luquinha, Victão, so the whole team deserves congratulations.”

Importance of the Corinthians fans:“The fans here are amazing. I’m very happy here. I had already played against them before, so feeling their energy, with them supporting us, I’m very happy and I can only be thankful. In the next game, we’ll definitely need all the fans here. Mogi is a strong team. I hope for the support of all the fans, because it will definitely help us a lot.”

Outlook for the rest of the season with the South American League and Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB):“Everything is happening very fast, but the team is very focused. Every day we’ve been working, not just prioritizing the regular season and playoffs. We know it’s a very long season. Of course, we think about and prioritize the next game, but we don’t stop thinking and aiming to have a good Paulista Championship and, right after that, a good South American campaign.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.