The players of Draci Brno celebrate their 21st championship of Czech baseball. Photo: Pavel Kvarda
Brno, Oct 4 (BD) – Technic hosts Zabiny in Brno basketball rivalry tonight; Kometa reaches top of the Tipsport exgtraliga standings and wins again in the Champions League; mmcite+ rallies for opening-round men’s basketball victory; Lokomotiva women take an important game; Zbrojovka still stuck at the bottom; and the Brno sports schedule.
It is hard to do almost anything 21 out of 23 times. Yet, Brno Draci won the Czech Series for the 21st time when they beat Arrows Ostrava, 5-6, last Friday in Ostrava to continue a level of dominance that is truly impressive for any sport or any level.
The Draci have thrown, hit and caught the baseball better than every other Czech team for more than two decades. Their only Czech Series losses were to Kotlářka Praha in 2015 and Technika Brno in 2011.
This year, the Arrows put up an big fight. Each of the four games came down to one run. The Draci won the first two games by identical 3-2 scores, both times on the final swing of the bat: Game 1 in the bottom of the ninth inning and Game 2 in the bottom of the 10th. Ostrava staved off elimination by winning Game 3 on its final swing in the bottom of the ninth, 6-5.
“Baseball advertising,” said Draci catcher Petr Čech. “Really great matches.”
Game 4 was again in Ostrava after a three-day break and the Arrows never backed down. They got behind but scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 5. Unfortunately, mistakes crept into their defense in the top of the ninth inning: Longtime Draci player Pavel Budský got on base with a one-out hit (his third of the game); he advanced to second on a second-out fielder’s choice; he moved to third on a wild pitch; and he scored on a throwing error. Martin Schneider closed the game out on the mound for the 3-1 best-of-five-games series victory.
“The little things decided the series,” said Čech, who had played for Ostrava for 20 years before moving to Brno last year. “We made less mistakes in the end. We have an older and more experienced team, but the boys from Ostrava have shown fighting and ferocity. All the matches ended by one point. It was an excellent series, the most balanced in the history of Czech baseball.”
Draci Brno has dominated Czech baseball for decades and the 2017 regular season was no different. They were 31-5 in the first half of the season and 14-1 during the second half.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
First All-Brno Match-up Tonight at 7
Both Technic Brno and Zabiny Brno started the ZBL season with two victories and dropped their third game. Tonight, the two teams will meet to decide who adds a third victory to their young season: Technic Brno hosts Zabiny Brno at 7 p.m.
The rivalry goes deep with these teams. The Zabiny coaching staff used to coach most of the players on the Technic Brno roster in a lower division two seasons ago. It’s a friendly rivalry, but neither team will give an inch.
Technic Brno lost 60-85 at Loko Trutnov on Sunday. Through three games, Tereza Zítková (15.6), Monika Stehlíková (13), Hana Gašicová (13) all average double digits in points.
Jana Hausknechtová has a 12.6 points-per-game average for Zabiny, who lost to Hradec Kralove at home 53-66 on Saturday.
KP Brno Rights the Ship with Win at Karlovy Vary
After starting the season with two road losses in Prague, KP Brno was finally able to notch a league victory at BA Karlovy Vary on Sunday, scoring 39 points in the second quarter and cruising to an 67-89 victory.
Eleven of the 12 Brno players who got on the court scored. Veronika Remenárová and Gabriela Andělová both had 13 points. Sarah Beránková added 12 and Eva Kopecká had 10.
KP Brno, which finished third in the league last year, lost to USK Praha (first round) and Slavia (second round). They play their first home game of the season tonight when they host Slovanka MB at 5:30 p.m.
EuroCup play begins next Wednesday when Wasserburg comes to town. Tipoff is 6 p.m.
HOCKEY
Kometa Win Domestically and Internationally
Kometa extended their Tipsport Extraliga winning streak and moved into the top position in the standings after beating Vitkovice, 5-1, on Sunday. On Friday, they had come from behind to beat Pardubice, 4-5. The reigning champions have now won four league games in a row. Through nine games, Kometa is the only team with six wins and one of three with two losses. They have 21 points and they have scored 13 more goals than they have given up.
Additionally, Kometa beat visiting Malmö, 5-4, in a Champions Hockey League game on Tuesday when Martin Erat scored a power play goal in the overtime period. Leoš Čermák (second minute) and Martin Zaťovič (fifth minute) set the tone early for Kometa, but the Swedish team was able to score three goals in the third period to send the game into overtime. Erat, with quick-passing assists from Jakub Krejčík and Tomáš Svoboda during the 4-on-3 overtime power play, scored the winner in the 63rd minute. Kometa have won all five of their Champions League games, including the past three home games in overtime. They go to Malmö next Tuesday.
In the domestic league, Kometa has a touch schedule, starting Friday (at home against Liberec, 6 p.m.) and Sunday (at Plzeň, 5:20 p.m., TV). After their trip to Malmö, they play again Friday, Oct. 13 (at home against Olomouc, 6 p.m.) and Sunday, Oct. 15 (at Litvínov, 5:30 p.m.).
MEN’S BASKETBALL
mmcite+ Rally to Beat GEOSAN Kolín
It might have been the fact that mmcite+ was hosting the first game of the Kooperativa NBL 2017-17 season. Perhaps it was the cameras and the national television audience. Maybe it was plain nervousness. Whatever it was, mmcite+ had a lot of trouble shooting the ball in the first half of their Monday night game against visiting GEOSAN Kolín.
Yet, head coach Dejan Jakara didn’t panic. He didn’t make major changes. Instead, he cut the halftime break short, and sent his team out for a few extra minutes of shooting practice.
It worked. Brno beat Kolín, 64-61.
mmcite+ fought back from a seven-point halftime deficit and an eight-point deficit after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, their offense finally began clicking and they outscored Kolín, 23-12. They took the lead late and held on, despite fouling Kolín shooters twice during 3-point attempts in the final seconds.
Captain Jan Tomanec scored the first 10 points for Brno and led the team with 17 total and seven rebounds. Bench play proved effective as the starters struggled: Kevin Mays scored 13 and guard Jan Kozina added 11.
mmcite+ Brno travels to SLUNETA Ústí nad Labem on Sunday, then hosts Fio banka J. Hradec next Wednesday.
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Lokomotiva Brno Rallies for Important Win
Lokomotiva Brno H. H. was down by a goal to visiting FC Hradec Králové at halftime on Saturday, but goals by Sabina Ganiecová (51st minute) and Hana Ducháčková (59th minute) put the Brno team ahead and earned three important points in the top women’s football league. Horni Herspice won, 3-2.
Žaneta Holcmannová scored the first-half goal in the 39th minute from a corner kick. It was the second week in a row that Lokomotiva has scored from a corner kick.
Brno now has six points through seven games. They are one of four teams with two wins.
Lokomotiva next hosts Moravian rivals 1. FC Slovácko on Saturday at 11 a.m. Slovacko has a 5-0-2 record, including a 6-1 opening-round victory over visiting Lokomotiva in mid-August.
FOOTBALL
Zbrojovka Falls to Bottom All Alone
It was a tough assignment for Zbrojovka to beat Slavia Prague and the result was expected: Slavia won at home, 2-0, and Zbrojovka stayed at the bottom of the HET Liga standings.
An impressive crowd of 11,467 came to watch the game. Pavel Halouska, 22, made his first start in goal, and played remarkably well, especially given that starters Tomáš Jablonský and Petr Pavlík were out for health reasons. In the end, Tomas Necid scored both Slavia goals with headers off of pin-point accurate passes.
Brno has four points after nine games.
Zbrojovka can lick its wounds during the international break this weekend. The next home game is against Slovacko on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. The remainder of the fall season has only two more home games: Dukla Praha during the last weekend of October and Teplice during the middle weekend of November.
BRNO SPORTS RESULTS
Quick results for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the past week. Home team listed first (when applicable).
- Wednesday, Sept. 27
— Women’s Basketball: BLK Slavia Praha 73, KP Brno 69; Slovanka MB 43, Zabiny Brno 65; Technic Brno 69, SBS Ostrava 50
- Friday, Sept. 29
— Hockey: Pardubice 4, Kometa 5
— Baseball, Czech Series: Arrows Ostrava 5, Draci Brno 6
- Saturday, Sept. 30
— Women’s Basketball: Zabiny Brno 53, Hradec Kralove 66
— Women’s Football: Lokomotiva Brno H. H. 3, FC Hradec Králové 2
- Sunday, Oct. 1
— Hockey: Kometa 5, Vítkovice 1
— Women’s Basketball: BA Karlovy Vary 67, KP Brno 89; Loko Trutnov 85, Technic Brno 60
— Football: Slavia Praha 2, Zbrojovka Brno 0
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- Monday, Oct. 2
— Men’s Basketball: mmcité+ Brno 64, GEOSAN Kolín 61
- Tuesday, Oct. 3
— Hockey: Kometa 5, Malmö 4 (Champions League)
BRNO SPORTS SCHEDULE
The schedule for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the next two weeks. All dates and times subject to change. Home team listed first (when applicable).
- Wednesday, Oct. 4
— Women’s Basketball: KP Brno X Slovanka MB, 5:30 p.m.; Technic Brno X Zabiny Brno, 7 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 6, 2017
— Hockey: Kometa X Liberec, DRFG Arena, 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 7
— Rugby: RC Dragon Brno X RC Sparta Praha, 2 p.m.
— Running: Beh Vokolo Priglu
— Women’s Basketball: BLK Slavia Praha X Technic Brno, 5 p.m.; Žabiny Brno X DSK Basketball Nymburk, 7 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 8
— Hockey: Plzeň X Kometa, 5:20 p.m. (TV)
— Men’s Basketball: SLUNETA Ústí nad Labem X mmcité+ Brno, 5 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: U19 Chance X KP Brno, 5 p.m.
— Horse Racing: 127th Velka Pardubicka, Pardubice
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- Tuesday, Oct. 10
— Hockey: Malmö X Kometa (Champions League), Malmö, 6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 11
— Men’s Basketball: mmcité+ Brno X Fio banka J. Hradec, 7 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: KP Brno X Wasserburg, 6 p.m. (EuroCup)
- Friday, Oct. 13, 2017
Hockey: Kometa X Olomouc, DRFG Arena, 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017
— Football: Zbrojovka Brno X Slovácko, 5 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: KP Brno X Sokol Nilfisk H. Králové, 3:30 p.m.; ZVVZ USK Praha X Žabiny Brno, 5 p.m.
— Men’s Basketball: NH Ostrava X mmcité+ Brno, 5:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017
— Hockey: Litvínov X Kometa, 5:30 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: Technic Brno X Slovanka MB, 5 p.m.
The Brno Sports Report is published every Wednesday. All dates and times are subject to change. Most of the stories are about the traditional “English-speaking” team sports — football, hockey, baseball, basketball, American football, rugby, etc. — but it is also about the interesting local spectator and participation sports — tennis, badminton, running, horse racing, swimming, rock climbing, biking, etc. If you have any suggestions for what should be included, please comment below or send an email to brnosports@gmail.com.
