RIO DE JANEIRO (Campeonato Nacional Feminino) - Ourinhos won 71-66 at Americana to seal a 3-1 triumph in the best-of-five play-off finals showdown in the Brazil women’s championship.
With the game knotted at 36-36 at half-time, Ourinhos outscored Americana 19-12 in the third quarter to get their noses in front and held on to capture their fifth successive championship.
Micaela, who had 22 points for Ourinhos, was voted MVP of the finals.
"It was a sensational series and one that was disputed," said Micaela, who played for Brazil at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and later represented her country at the Beijing Games.
"An opponent as talented as Americana only magnifies our achievement. It is a huge thrill to be a champion and I am very happy for the title of MVP.
"This award is the result of the collective work of this great team, which fought and was always very devoted to conquering the fifth championship."
"They (the players) are all to be congratulated for this great achievement," said Ourinhos coach Urubatan Pacini.
"Ourinhos with certainty is having a party and will continue to celebrate when we get back to this wonderful city that loves basketball."
Micaela's Brazil teammate Ega also spoke with a lot of emotion after the triumph.
"This group is wonderful," she said.
"It was a sensational season in which I learned a lot from these girls and the coach, Uruba.
"Thank you, Ourinhos, for all the emotions that I have lived this year.
"Our team managed to overcome the defeat in the third game and came to the confrontation room determined to win the crown ..."
Karla, the Americana guard who played with Micaela and Ega in the Brazil team over the summer, said: "Ourinhos are to be congratulated.
"They assembled a team to be champions and reached the goal.
"I am very proud of our team, which was formed recently and has come very far.
"All deserve our thanks: athletes, fans, sponsors and the technical committee, because we did a brilliant job and we have to very proud of it."
Champions of the Campeonato Nacional Femenino
1998 – Fluminense (RJ) – Coach: Antonio Carlos Vendramini
1999 – Arcor/Santo André (SP) – Técnica: Laís Elena Aranha
2000 – Paraná Basquete (PR) – Coach: Antonio Carlos Vendramini
2001 – Vasco da Gama (RJ) – Técnica: Maria Helena Cardoso
2002 – São Paulo/Guaru (SP) – Coach: Alexandre Cato
2003 – Unimed/Americana (SP) – Coach: Paulo Bassul
2004 – FIO/Pão de Açúcar/Unimed/Ourinhos (SP) – Coach: Antonio Carlos Vendramini
2005 – FIO//Pão de Açúcar/Unimed/Ourinhos (SP) – Coach: Antonio Carlos Vendramini
2006 – FIO//Pão de Açúcar/Unimed/Ourinhos (SP) – Coach: Paulo Bassul
2007 – Colchões Castor/FIO//Pão de Açúcar/Unimed/Ourinhos (SP) – Coach: Paulo Bassul
2008 – Colchões Castor/FIO//Pão de Açúcar/Unimed/Ourinhos (SP) – Coach: Urubatan Paccini
FIBA
