For the first time in their history, Corinthians have advanced to the semifinals of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) after defeating Minas in a thrilling comeback on Tuesday night at the Arena UniBH in Belo Horizonte. The Game 4 quarterfinal clash ended 92-81, sealing the best-of-five series 3-1. Corinthians will now face Pinheiros in the next round, with both teams vying for an unprecedented spot in the tournament final.
Minas, last season’s runners-up, came out strong, refusing to give Corinthians any breathing room. Combining sharp offense with disciplined defense, the home team took an early lead in the first quarter. However, from the second quarter onward, Corinthians found their rhythm, equalized the score, and eventually took control—building an 18-point lead that they never relinquished.
American forward Davaunta Thomas was the standout performer of Game 4, scoring a career-high 37 points along with seven rebounds and one assist. On the Minas side, fellow U.S. import Erik Mc Cree led his team with 24 points.
Corinthians had won the first game 100-90 and the third 103-97, while Minas managed their sole victory in Game 2 with a 97-91 score. Historically, in 20 matchups between these two teams in the NBB, Corinthians have now won seven, while Minas holds 13 wins.
**Game Summary**
Facing elimination, Minas poured intensity into both ends of the court, opening the game with a 9-0 run in the first three minutes, forcing Corinthians head coach Jece Clodoaldo Leite to call an early timeout. The home side’s defensive pressure kept them comfortably ahead, at one point leading by 12, despite Corinthians’ improving offensive efficiency.
The second quarter saw high conversion rates from both teams. Led by American forward Davaunta Thomas, who hit four of his four three-point attempts, Corinthians took their first lead of the game with 5:51 left in the half, prompting Minas coach Leonardo Costa to halt play. From there, the teams traded baskets until Corinthians pulled away for a more comfortable margin.
In the third quarter, Corinthians continued their surge, building a 12-point lead. Minas, meanwhile, struggled mightily from the field, shooting just 29% on two-pointers and 14% on three-pointers in that period.
Over the final ten minutes, Corinthians maintained their offensive rhythm, posting excellent shooting percentages. On the other side, Minas and their home crowd tried to mount a comeback, fueled by American imports Jordan Williams and Erik Mc Cree. But despite some defensive stops, they couldn’t force a decisive Game 5.
**Quarter Scores**
– 1st Quarter: Minas 22 – 20 Corinthians
– 2nd Quarter: Minas 22 – 25 Corinthians
– 3rd Quarter: Minas 12 – 24 Corinthians
– 4th Quarter: Minas 25 – 23 Corinthians
**Other Series Updates**
Pinheiros were the first team to secure a semifinal spot, returning to this stage for the first time in nine seasons after sweeping Paulistano 3-0 last Saturday at Ginásio Antonio Prado Jr. in São Paulo.
On Wednesday, Franca and Brasília could join them by winning their respective Game 4s against Mogi Basquete and Flamengo, as both currently lead 2-1 in their series. Brasília hosts Flamengo at Ginásio Nilson Nelson starting at 8:15 PM local time.