SAO PAULO (Interstat) — A struggling Bauru squad aims to halt a four-game slide when it visits the powerhouse Paulistano in a Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) matchup Tuesday at Ginásio Antônio Prado Júnior.

The game pits teams on opposite trajectories. Paulistano (23-10) sits among the league’s elite and is coming off a dominant 92-71 victory over Pato Basquete on Saturday. Bauru (17-16) has lost four straight, including a 94-65 road defeat to UNICEUB on April 18.

Paulistano point guard Edson Tovar enters in spectacular form, fresh off a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in the win over Pato. His playmaking will be central against a Bauru defense that has allowed an average of 91.5 points during its losing streak.

Bauru will look to forward Wesley Alves to provide a spark. Alves posted a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to UNICEUB, a bright spot in an otherwise difficult stretch for the team. Center Andre Barbosa, who added 12 points and six rebounds in that game, will be crucial in the interior battle.

The teams’ last meeting was a thriller, with Paulistano escaping Bauru with an 89-87 victory on Jan. 15. To reverse that result, Bauru must improve significantly on recent performances, having lost its last two games by a combined 61 points.

Paulistano has been strong at home and boasts a more balanced and consistent attack, led by Tovar and shooting guard Henrique Seixas, who scored 24 points on Saturday. Bauru’s path to an upset requires containing that backcourt and finding offensive rhythm beyond Alves and Barbosa.

Tip-off is set for Tuesday night in Sao Paulo.