FRANCA, Brazil (Interstat) — The league-leading Franca basketball club looks to rebound from a rare loss when it hosts struggling Botafogo in a Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB) matchup on Wednesday at Ginásio Pedro Murilla Fuentes.

Franca (37-10), which had its winning streak snapped at eight games with an 86-72 home loss to Argentina’s Boca Juniors in a continental fixture on Saturday, returns to NBB play as heavy favorites. The team boasts the league’s best record and has dominated recent play, winning 14 of its last 16 domestic contests.

Botafogo (10-23), sitting near the bottom of the standings, enters on a four-game NBB losing skid, including a 104-86 road defeat to Vasco da Gama on Saturday. The teams last met on Feb. 17, when Franca routed Botafogo 88-66 in Rio de Janeiro.

A key matchup will feature Franca’s dynamic forward George Lucas against Botafogo’s Derick Machado Goncalves. Lucas is coming off a 15-point, 4-rebound, 5-assist performance against Boca Juniors and has been a consistent force, averaging a near triple-double of 10 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in a blowout win over Pato Basquete on April 9.

Goncalves has been a bright spot for Botafogo during its difficult stretch, posting a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds in the loss to Vasco. He averaged 31 minutes and 12.2 points over his last five NBB games.

Franca’s depth remains a major advantage, with Lucas Dias Silva (17 points vs. Boca) and Mooch Jackson (16 points) providing strong support. For Botafogo, secondary scoring from Emanuel Matias (17 points vs. Vasco) and Matheus Brito (16 points, 6 assists) will be crucial to challenge the league leaders.

Tipoff is set for Wednesday night in Franca, São Paulo state.