Preview: Cruzeiro at Minas, Brazilian NBB

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (Interstat) — A stark contrast in the Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil standings will be on display Tuesday when the powerhouse Minas host the struggling Cruzeiro at Arena Vivo.

Minas (32-12), among the league’s elite, enters the contest riding high after a dominant 87-56 victory over Cearense on April 14. The club has won four of its last five, with its only recent blemish a narrow 80-77 home loss to Paraiba. Their depth has been key, with center Rafael Silva providing consistent efficiency. In the April 14 win, he posted 12 points and four rebounds in just 21 minutes.

Cruzeiro (13-24), meanwhile, looks to build on a rare positive result, an 86-77 home win over Cearense on April 16. That victory snapped a two-game skid but merely punctuates a difficult season; the team has lost eight of its last 11 outings.

The visiting side will lean heavily on forward Tulio Da Silva, who is in the midst of a stellar individual stretch. He is averaging a double-double over his last six games, including a 23-point, 11-rebound performance in the most recent win. His dominance, however, hasn’t translated to team success against the league’s best.

History heavily favors Minas, especially recently. The teams met just three weeks ago on April 1, with Minas cruising to a 101-88 victory at home. Rafael Silva led Minas with 14 points in that contest, while Da Silva managed 18 points and 10 rebounds for Cruzeiro in a losing effort. Minas also won the prior meeting this season, 84-76 in Belo Horizonte last November.

For Cruzeiro to have any chance at an upset, they will need another huge night from Da Silva and similar support from center Ralfi Silva Ansaloni and forward Dominique Coleman, who combined for 37 points in the April 16 win. They must also find a way to slow Minas’s balanced attack, which features multiple scoring threats beyond Silva, including guard Juan Arengo.

The game tips off at 8 p.m. local time Tuesday at Arena Vivo. Minas will seek to solidify its top-tier standing, while Cruzeiro aims to prove its latest win was a sign of momentum, not an anomaly.