Corinthians learn NBB play-off route, begin bid for first title | OneFootball

Corinthians already knows its path in the decisive stage of the 2025/26 Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB). Having qualified for the playoffs after its best campaign in the competition in recent history, the black-and-white team will face Unifacisa in the round of 16 in a best-of-five series.

The bracket was set this Sunday (19), also determining Timão’s possible opponents in the next rounds. If they advance against the team from Paraíba, Corinthians will face the winner of the matchup between Minas and Cruzeiro in the quarterfinals. In a possible semifinal, the potential opponents include Bauru Basket, Paulistano, Rio Claro, or Pinheiros.

Photos: Beto Miller

On the other side of the bracket, the round-of-16 matchups were set with Sesi Franca facing Botafogo, São José taking on Mogi Basquete, and Caxias do Sul going up against Flamengo.

The team’s performance in the regular season reinforces the strong moment of Jece Leite’s squad. Corinthians finished the first phase with 27 wins and 11 losses in 38 games, reaching a winning percentage above 70%—its best mark since returning to the top tier of Brazilian basketball in the 2018/19 season.

The series against Unifacisa begins this Tuesday (21), at 11 a.m. Brasília time, at Ginásio Wlamir Marques, in Parque São Jorge. The second and third games of the series are scheduled for April 24 and 26, both in Paraíba. If necessary, games four and five will return to São Paulo, since Corinthians has home-court advantage for posting the better record.

In search of its first NBB title, the club is trying to turn its strong performance in the opening stage into a solid playoff run. Although it has not yet won the national league since its restructuring, Corinthians carries an important basketball tradition, with Brazilian titles and continental trophies throughout its history.

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