Corinthians, Led by In-Form Hollowell, Visit Struggling Cearense in NBB Clash

FORTALEZA, Brazil (Interstat) — A surging Corinthians squad visits the league’s cellar-dweller when it faces Cearense in a Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) matchup Saturday at Ginásio Municipal Paulo Sarasate.

The teams enter on starkly different trajectories. Corinthians (18-13 overall) arrives buoyed by a 96-91 victory over powerhouse Flamengo on Tuesday. Cearense (5-27) limps in having lost 10 consecutive games, most recently a 116-71 road defeat to Franca on March 22.

The visitor’s fortunes are tied to forward Jeremy Hollowell, who is playing at an elite level. In his last five games, Hollowell is averaging 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists, including an 18-point, 12-rebound, 5-assist performance against Flamengo. His consistency gives Corinthians a reliable focal point.

For Cearense, forward Fernando Salsamendi has been a rare bright spot, scoring 20 points in the loss to Franca. However, his efforts have seldom translated to wins for a team that ranks last in the league in both offensive output and points allowed.

The head-to-head history further favors Corinthians, which routed Cearense 95-62 in their last meeting on Dec. 21, 2025. Cearense has also lost its last 10 home games.

A Corinthians victory appears pivotal for playoff positioning in the tightly contested NBB standings. For Cearense, the game represents another daunting challenge in a season defined by them, needing a historic upset to snap its prolonged skid.

Tip-off is set for Saturday evening in Fortaleza.