Jece Leite hails Corinthians squad depth amid doubts, eyes NBB semi | OneFootball

Corinthians continue to enjoy a historic season in Brazilian basketball. After defeating Minas 92-81 in Belo Horizonte and securing an unprecedented spot in the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) semifinals, head coach Jece Leite commented on what the team has been experiencing on and off the court.

In addition to the historic qualification, the coach highlighted the squad’s attitude amid the uncertainty surrounding the future of Corinthians’ basketball project in recent months. Since the end of 2025, rumors about a possible suspension of the professional team at the end of the season had caused concern behind the scenes at the club.

Photo: Beto Miller / Ag.Corinthians

Even in the face of this uncertain scenario, Jece said the department managed to keep the group focused exclusively on the competition.

“I’ve said this before: in the most difficult moment of my personal life, I learned to live one day at a time. When that news came out and all the repercussions followed, our department remained shielded,” the coach said in an interview with the Olimpíada Todo Dia portal.

According to the black-and-white team’s coach, the internal environment was crucial in preserving the players’ focus during the NBB campaign. Jece emphasized the work done behind the scenes to prevent the speculation from affecting the team’s performance.

“Montanha (the department manager) is always with us and does a great job of keeping the group tight-knit. From the start, I told the guys: ‘one day at a time.’ There’s no point in suffering over something that might only happen at the end of the season, like the rumors that the team would end after the NBB,” he added.

Despite the doubts surrounding the project’s continuity, Corinthians recently confirmed its participation in the 2026 Campeonato Paulista de Basquete, scheduled to begin in August. The decision ensured the professional team’s continuation at least for the state competition.

On the court, Timão are enjoying their best campaign since the sport returned in 2018. After eliminating Unifacisa and Minas in the playoffs, the Parque São Jorge side reached the semifinals of Brazil’s main basketball competition for the first time.

Jece highlighted that the team’s performance further strengthens the club’s sporting project and praised the squad’s commitment throughout the season.

“We believe we can go far in the NBB. That mindset strengthens the continuity of the project, especially because of these boys’ merit and what they are delivering. It’s not easy to do sports in Brazil, and basketball is even harder, but we’re keeping our heads in the right place. We’re living one day at a time, supporting the young players, keeping our department united, and moving forward,” he said.

Now, Corinthians will face Pinheiros, the team with the second-best record in the NBB regular season. The first semifinal matchup will take place next Monday (18), with Pinheiros as the home team.

Even while acknowledging the physical strength and intensity of the opposing squad, Jece believes Corinthians have the tools to make the series competitive.

“Without a doubt, energy and physicality are major factors in their game because they’re a young team. We’ll try to neutralize those points and impose our style of play. They also need to worry about us,” he projected.

Finally, the coach made a point of thanking the Corinthians fans for their support during the historic campaign and called on the Fiel to back the team in the national competition semifinal.

“Fiel, you are extremely important to us; you know what you represent by our side. Even from afar, you send all this positive energy — and the fans here in Belo Horizonte showed up too, just like at Parque São Jorge we need to get as many people as possible into the games, because that is fundamental for us,” he concluded.

Corinthians are now looking to extend their unprecedented run in the NBB even further and try to reach the national competition final for the first time.

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