Vitão hails Fiel after Corinthians NBB win: “It’s down to our fans” | OneFootball

Corinthians won another decisive game in the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) and took a 2-1 lead in the playoff series, moving to within one win of qualifying for the competition’s semifinal. One of the standout performers of the night at the Wlamir Marques Sports Complex, forward Vitão scored 24 points and grabbed six rebounds, and made a point of sharing the credit for the victory with the black-and-white fans.

After the game, the player highlighted the atmosphere created by the Fiel in the stands and said that the crowd’s support was the team’s main difference-maker in the matchup.

Photo: Reproduction / Central do Timão

“I think today was a special game. Of all the games since I’ve been here, I don’t think I’ve ever seen our fans show up in force like they did today. The arena was packed. Without a doubt, the biggest factor in the win was neither offense nor defense. Today, the win definitely goes on our fans’ tab. They played an incredible role, they didn’t stop singing for a single minute. The support was unconditional when we were losing and also when we were winning. So, without a doubt, that was the difference for us.”

With the advantage in the series, Corinthians will now have two away games in search of a spot in the semifinal. Vitão predicted balanced matchups and stressed the importance of maintaining the same level of focus.

“Now, thinking about the away games, all three matchups so far have been very tough. They were balanced games until the end and decided by the details. There’s not much getting around it. They’ll be difficult games there as well, and we’ll go after that win, which is very important for us and for the goals we have in the competition.”

In addition to the team performance, Vitão was one of the main figures in Corinthians’ win. The forward commented on his individual performance and highlighted the confidence he receives from his teammates.

“It’s hard to talk about ourselves, but I think it was a special night. I picked up two fouls very early, and that really makes you think. But I stayed focused. I had the support of the fans and my team. My teammates trust me a lot, and I was able to do a good job. But that’s already behind us. Now the focus is entirely on the next game.”

Finally, the player once again thanked the fans for their support and expressed confidence that the atmosphere at Wlamir Marques will be even more special if the team advances to the next round.

“For the love of God, right now we’re focused only on the next game. But we know that every time we come back to this arena, our fans will show up. Thank you very much.”

With the result, Corinthians needs just one more win to secure a place in the Novo Basquete Brasil semifinal.

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