CÓRDOBA (Argentina) – Two weeks have passed since the BCL Americas' Group Phase 2, but everyone wants to reach the great goal: qualifying as one of the best eight teams of the tournament. The definition approaches, and Group D will start its engines this Wednesday at Ángel Sandrín Stadium in Córdoba, Argentina.

After playing in Flamengo's and Minas Tenis' home courts in Brazil, the host will be Instituto, who needs to win to move forward. The team led by Gustavo Peirone still has two matches left in this Group Phase 3, and a delayed one from window one, against Flamengo. With a 1-2 record, it will give it all to win both matches and wait. They already have two reinforcements: Leo Lema and Anthony Kent. Lema arrived from Atenas, also from Córdoba, and he's part of the Argentine National Team who played at the AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers. On the other hand, Kent is a foreigner from Oberá, who's familiar with the BCL Americas, since it played the semifinal and final matches with the champion Quimsa.

Flamengo is one of the undefeated teams, with three victories, and it wants to lock down its place in the next phase. The first edition's runner-up has a very sensitive absence due to the terrible injury of Franco Balbi, who tore his right knee ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. In his place, Argentine Diego Figueredo arrived, who was previously playing at La Unión de Formosa. The 29-year-old point guard already played in Brazil's Sao José.

The other team in Group D is Minas. The ensemble led by Leonardo Costa has a well-formed base with David Jackson, Luciano Parodi and Shaquille Johnson, who are in their prime and are the group's symbols. Minas comes from a tough defeat against Corinthians at the NBB (Brazil's national basketball league), but they're still second in the table behind Flamengo, with a 23-4 record. In this BCL Americas, they have one victory and three defeats, so it will be all or nothing for them in Córdoba.

Day: 3/24. Local time: 7:10pm. TV: DIRECTV Sports and DAZN.
Referees: Roberto Vázquez (Puerto Rico), Carlos Andrés Veles (Colombia) and Gonzalo Salgueiro (Uruguay).
Stadium: Ángel Sandrín, Córdoba, Argentina.

The Group Phase 3 will start on Wednesday 3/24 with the match between Instituto and Minas, whereas on the 25th, the two Brazilian teams will meet. The closing match will be Instituto-Flamengo, on the 26th. All matches will take place at 7:10pm, local time (GMT-3).

FIBA