MONTERREY (Mexico) - Flamengo constructed a team to challenge for supremacy in the first season of the Basketball Champions League Americas and judging from Thursday's romp at Fuerza Region, it has a great chance of accomplishing that aim.

In the opening clash of the best-of-three Quarter-Final series, the Brazilian giants reeled off the first 10 points and led from start to finish while rolling to a 90-67 triumph.

Dominican Republic international Eloy Vargas led all scorers with 20 points and long-time Brazil national team star Marquinhos added 16. Olivinha also excelled, pouring in 11 points and corralling nine rebounds.

Franco Balbi set up his teammates time and time again and had eight assists to go with his two points. A capable scorer, the offense ran so smoothly that the point guard only took three shots.

Uruguayan Gustavo “Panchi” Barrera, meanwhile, made his debut for Flamengo and though he did not score, he had six of his team's 22 assists.

All is not lost for Fuerza Regia, who got 11 points apiece from Michael Hays and Israel Gutierrez and 10 from both Karim Rodriguez and Emmanuel Isabel Trinidad Arias.

They can still win the second game on Sunday and force a decider to be played on Tuesday. However, Game Two will be in hostile territory, in Rio de Janeiro, as will Game 3 if the series goes that far.