Preview: Cruzeiro Faces Uphill Battle at Minas in NBB Clash

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (Interstat) — A stark contrast in fortunes will be on display Wednesday when the struggling Cruzeiro visits the powerhouse Minas in a Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) matchup at Arena Vivo.

Minas (27-11), sitting among the league’s elite, hosts a Cruzeiro (11-20) squad mired near the bottom of the standings. The teams last met on Nov. 1, 2025, with Minas securing an 84-76 road victory.

The home team enters with momentum despite an 85-91 road loss to Pinheiros on March 24. In that game, guard Jordan Williams scored 24 points. Williams has been a consistent offensive force, averaging 19.1 points over his last seven contests, including a 26-point performance in a win over Franca on March 11. He will be the primary focus for Minas.

Cruzeiro looks to snap a three-game skid, most recently a heartbreaking 66-67 home loss to Corinthians on March 19. In that defeat, center Ralfi Silva Ansaloni posted a strong line of 17 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes. Ansaloni has been a bright spot, averaging 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds over his last five games, including a 17-point, 9-rebound effort in the last meeting with Corinthians.

Minas boasts a formidable home-court advantage and a deep roster featuring Williams and contributors like Rafael Silva and Tim Frazier. Cruzeiro’s path to an upset likely requires a major performance from Ansaloni inside and improved perimeter defense to contain Williams’ scoring bursts.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. local time Wednesday in Belo Horizonte.