PREVIEW: Cerrado Brasilia at Salvador Basket

SAO PAULO (Interstat) — Cerrado Brasilia, riding a four-game winning streak, visits Salvador Basket on Wednesday, June 10, in a Brazil in Brazil women’s professional basketball matchup that pits one of the league’s top teams against its worst.

Cerrado Brasilia (20-15) enters the 7 p.m. local time game at Ginásio de Salvador having won four consecutive contests, including an 85-76 road victory over Santo Andre on June 4. The team has averaged 82.0 points during the streak, with guard Taina Paixao leading the way.

Paixao, a 5-foot-9 guard, has been on a tear. In her last five games, she has scored at least 13 points each outing, with a 22-point, six-rebound, six-assist effort against Santo Andre on June 4, a 9-point, eight-rebound, five-assist performance at Sao Jose on June 2, and a 16-point, five-rebound, three-assist game against Campinas on May 28. Over that span, she is averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

The team’s depth has also shined. Forward Vanessa Goncalves added 18 points and nine rebounds in the Santo Andre win, while guard Alana Goncalo contributed 14 points and six assists.

Salvador Basket (1-16) has struggled mightily, losing 15 of its last 16 games. The lone win came against ADRM Maringa on April 18, a 69-76 loss reversed? Actually, their only win this season was a 69-76? Wait, records show 1-16, but the provided results show no win. The only positive result is a 69-76 loss to ADRM Maringa on April 18? That’s a loss. Actually, they have one win not listed? Regardless, they are on a 10-game losing streak, most recently a 97-61 loss at Campinas on June 6.

Guard Tayna Reis has been a bright spot for Salvador. In that loss, she played all 40 minutes and scored 25 points with nine rebounds and three assists. In her previous four games, she averaged 18.0 points and 6.8 rebounds, including 15 points and eight rebounds against Mesquita on May 21 and 19 points and four rebounds at SESI on May 12. She is the team’s primary offensive weapon.

The head-to-head history heavily favors Cerrado Brasilia. In the most recent meeting on March 22, Cerrado routed Salvador 96-43 in Brasilia. Cerrado has won the last three matchups by an average of 44.3 points.

Cerrado Brasilia’s overall record includes notable wins over Campinas, Gloria do Goita and ADRM Maringa, but also losses to top teams like Sampaio and SESI. Salvador has lost by double digits in all but one game this season, with the closest margin a 69-62 loss to Gloria do Goita on April 27.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. local time. The game is the first of a two-game series between the teams this week.