HC Kometa host Game 3 and 4 of the Tipsport extraliga Finals. Photo credit: Vit Novak
Brno, April 18 (BD) — KP Brno reaches ZBL Finals, faces undefeated Praha; Zbrojovka drops to last place, hosts first-place Plzeň Saturday night; mmcité+ Brno win first two games in Play Out bracket; Draci Brno pitchers keep team undefeated; Lokomotiva starts Play Out Bracket at home against Dukla Saturday; Ragby Bystrc will be site of Alligators game Saturday, Sigrs game Sunday; Brno horse racing starts Saturday at 2 p.m.; and the Brno sports schedule.
HOCKEY
Kometa and Třinec Tied at 1-1
Brno will be the center of the Czech sports world today and tomorrow as HC Kometa hosts Oceláři Třinec for Game 3 and 4 of the Tipsport extraliga Finals.
The series is tied: Třinec won Game 1, 5-1, on Saturday and Brno won Game 2, 2-3, on Sunday.
Game 3 starts at 5:20 p.m. today (Wednesday). Game 4 tomorrow starts at 5 p.m. Expect blue and white throughout the city, especially around DRFG Arena and the public big screen in Zeleny trh.
Game 5 will be in Třinec on Sunday at 5 p.m. If necessary, Game 6 would be back in Brno on Tuesday at 5 p.m. and Game 7 would be in Třinec on April 26 at 5 p.m.
Kometa, the defending champions, swept HC Vítkovice Ridera in the quarterfinals and beat Plzeň four games to one in the semifinals. The team is now 9-2 in 11 postseason games.
Last year, Brno went 12-2 in the postseason and won its 12th title.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
KP Brno to the Finals!
KP Brno pulled away for a healthy 73-64 victory against DSK Basketball Nymburk on Saturday afternoon to earn the right to face undefeated powerhouse VVZ USK Praha in the Finals of the top women’s basketball league.
“Now we have a celebration,” said KP Brno head coach David Zdeněk. “This experience will definitely give us the strength to make our team as strong as possible in the finals with USK.”
VVZ USK Praha was 22-0 in the regular season. They swept BA K. Vary in the quarterfinals and Sokol Nilfisk H. Králové in the semifinals.
The Finals will alternate between Prague and Brno. Game 1 will be in Prague on Wednesday, April 25. Game 2 will be in Brno on Saturday, April 28 and Game 3 will be in Prague on Wednesday, May 2. If necessary, Game 4 would be in Brno on Friday, May 4 and Game 5 would be in Prague on Sunday, May 6.
In head-to-head competition this year, KP Brno traveled to Prague in the first week of the season on Sept. 23 and lost, 98-64; Brno also lost at home, 66-87, on Dec. 9.
Though USK Praha is clearly the favorite, KP Brno, which won the Czech Cup this year, is 17-2 in its last 19 games.
In the semifinals, KP Brno and DSK Basketball Nymburk split the first two games, each winning road games. In Game 3, KP Brno calmly maintained a four-point lead through the final half minute of the game, with two free throws from Sonia Ursu, two free throws from Edita Šujanová and, with the three seconds left, two free throws by Eva Kopecká. Overall Brno was 22 of 24 from the free throw line. Nymburk was 18 of 23. Brno won 84-87. Šujanová led the team with 21 points. Ursu had 16 and Kopecká finished with 18.
“Joy is mixed with fatigue,” said Šujanová, who had 18 points in the deciding Game 4. “Our commitment and fight was important. We have nothing to lose from USK.”
Technic Brno finished the season and the Play Out bracket with a record of 3-25. They will play in a three-team relegation bracket with another team from the ZBL and the top team from the lower league. Only two teams will remain in ZBL.
MEN’S FOOTBALL
Last-place Zbrojovka Hosts Plzeň Saturday at 8:15 p.m.
When league-leading Viktoria Plzeň comes to Brno this Saturday for a night game, FC Zbrojovka Brno will field a team that is at the bottom of the HET Liga standings, that has scored only two goals in eight games and that just suffered a humiliating 1-0 loss to Moravian rival 1.FC Slovácko last weekend.
It will be a difficult task to stave off relegation in the final six games of the season.
In Uherske Hradiste last Saturday, a lazy clearance pass was intercepted and turned into the only goal Slovácko would require. Zbrojovka was left with only 20 points through 24 games. FC Banik Ostrava beat Bohemians Praha 1905, 2-0, and moved to 22 points, leaving Brno last.
Zbrojovka has not scored a goal in 490 minutes of play.
In the second half, both Martin Juhar and Michael Skoda had clear shots on goal: Juhar by foot and Skoda by head. Both shots went right by about a meter.
“This is being repeated over and over again,” said Zbrojovka head coach Roman Pivarník. “Experienced players fail in finishing and miss the goal.”
After the game, the team stood in front of the visiting section and allowed their fans to rain insults upon them for about 20 minutes. When crowd-control police briefly interrupted the impromptu public venting, beer rained down upon everyone. Calls for the team to removing their uniforms in disgrace eventually died down and changed to more positive Zbrojovka chants.
There are still six games left in the season and the bottom of the standings are still bunched up. Zbrojovka is within six points of the next seven teams in the standings. After Plzen, Brno travels to Dukla Praha (26 points) for a Friday evening game on April 27 (game time 6 p.m.); host Jablonec (41) on May 5; and travel to Teplice (32) on May 12.
The final two weekends will likely seal their fate: Zbrojovka hosts 14th-place Jihlava (24) on May 19 and finish the season at 15th-place Baník Ostrava (22) on May 26.
The game against Viktoria Plzeň begins at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
mmcité+ Brno Wins Two in a Row
mmcité+ Brno started the Play Out bracket of the Kooperativa NBL with victories at NH Ostrava, 97-101, on Wednesday and at home against USK Praha, 86-82, on Saturday.
Brno was 6-16 in the regular season and 3-7 in Group A2. They travel to Fio banka J. Hradec on Saturday for a 6 p.m. game.
They play each of the three teams one more time in the Play Out bracket. The last-place team will be forced to defend its right to play next season in the top league against the top two teams of the lower league.
Against Ostrava, Canyon Barry scored 31, Dorde Lelić had 23 and Kentwan Smith added 11. Kevin Mays, who missed the entire Group A2 phase, returned to the team and scored 8. It was the second highest scoring game of the season; Brno beat Fio banka J. Hradec 108-93 on Oct. 11 in the third game of the season to move to 2-1.
At home against Praha, Brno started strong, lost their lead, regained it, then maintained their advantage through the final quarter. Dorde Lelić was 4-for-4 from 2-point range and 4-for-7 from 3-point range for a team-high 20 points.
“I would say that in the last two games, we have had a lot of assists and luck finally returned to us, which, in our opinion, is deserved,” Lelić said. “It is an important victory for us and we hope to continue in the wins.”
Added Brno head coach Dejan Jakara, “It’s a win that counts and I want to congratulate our players. We need to continue our commitment and keep fighting.”
BASEBALL
Late-Game Dramatic Keep Draci Brno Undefeated
With two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Martin Kalábek drove in Petr Čech with the winning run as Draci Brno beat Tempo Titans Praha, 1-0, in a tense pitcher’s batter on Friday night at MBS.
The following day, the Draci (7-0) went to Prague to beat Titans Praha, 1-5, and remain undefeated through the first three weeks of the season.
Cardion Hroši Brno (2-4) and Technika Brno (1-5) have stumbled a bit out of the gate.
The Friday night game between the Draci and the Titans was a pitcher’s duel with a total of seven hits and four walks in the game. Radim Chroust started and Petr Minařík relieved for Brno. Both gave up two hits in five innings of work.
Marek Minařík went nine innings for Prague, limiting the dynamic Draci offense to just two hits and two walks, while striking out seven.
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Lokomotiva To Finish Season in Play Out Bracket
Lokomotiva Brno Horni Herspice had a chance to move into the Play Off Bracket of the top women’s football league, but when they tied host Hradec Králové, 1-1, on Saturday, they were forced to settle for the Play Out Bracket.
Lokomotiva (3-3-8, 12 points) will play home and away games with the other three teams from the bottom half of the standings: FC Slovan Liberec (2-4-8, 10), FC Hradec Králové (2-3-9, 9) and FK Dukla Praha (2-3-9, 9). The team that finishes the next six rounds with the least points will be relegated to the second league.
The first game of the Play Out Bracket is Saturday against FK Dukla Praha in Horni Herspice. The game starts at 11 a.m.
Had Brno won the game in Hradec Králové they would have been guaranteed another year in the top league but they would have had to play against teams that beat them every time. As it happened, Lokomotiva was down by a goal at halftime and Anna Pušková scored in the 77th minute to tie the game.
The Playoff Off Bracket includes SK Slavia Praha (13-1-0, 40 points), AC Sparta Praha (11-2-1, 35), 1. FC Slovácko (10-1-3, 31) and FC Viktoria Plzeň (4-1-9, 13).
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Two Local Games at Ragby Bystrc this Weekend
After an emotional start of the American Football season, the Brno Alligators will try to continue their winning ways when they host the Prague Black Panthers at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The Brno Sígrs, who lost to the Alligators on the final play on April 8, host the Aquaponik Ostrava Steelers at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Both games are at Ragby Bystrc.
HORSE RACING
First Post is Saturday at 2 p.m. at Brno-Dvorska
Brno Horse Racing will have its first of three racedays this Saturday at Brno-Dvorska. The first of eight races will go to post at 2 p.m.
The racecard includes five flat races and three steeplechase races. There will also be activities around the racetrack, including pony riding, carriage rides, skydiving parachutists and additional entertainment.
Admission is 60kc for adults and 30kc for children. Parking is 20kc. Bus 48 is the public transportation.
The other two racedays in 2018 are June 16 and Oct. 6.
BRNO SPORTS RESULTS
Quick results for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the past week. Home team listed first (when applicable).
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
— Women’s Basketball, Quarterfinals Game 3: DSK Basketball Nymburk 84, KP Brno 87
— Men’s Basketball: NH Ostrava 97, mmcité+ Brno 101
— Baseball: Olympia Blansko 4, Draci Brno 12
Friday, April 13, 2018
— Baseball: Draci Brno 1, Tempo Titans Praha 0
— Baseball: Arrows Ostrava 6, Cardion Hroši Brno 2
Saturday, April 14, 2018
— Women’s Football: FC Hradec Králové 1, Lokomotiva Brno H. H. 1
— Baseball, Game 1: Třebíč Nuclears 10, Technika Brno 6
— Baseball, Game 2: Třebíč Nuclears 3, Technika Brno 9
— Baseball: Tempo Titans Praha 1, Draci Brno 5
— Women’s Basketball, Quarterfinals Game 4: KP Brno 73, DSK Basketball Nymburk 64
— Baseball: Cardion Hroši Brno 1, Arrows Ostrava 3
— Men’s Football: Slovácko 1, Zbrojovka Brno 0
— Hockey, Finals Game 1: Oceláři Třinec 5, Kometa 1
— Men’s Basketball: mmcité+ Brno 86, USK Praha 82
Sunday, April 15, 2018
— Hockey, Finals Game 2: Oceláři Třinec 2, Kometa 3
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, April 18, 2018
— Hockey, Finals Game 3: Kometa X Oceláři Třinec, 5:20 p.m.
Thursday, April 19, 2018
— Hockey, Finals Game 4: Kometa X Oceláři Třinec, 5 p.m.
Friday, April 20, 2018
— Baseball: Olympia Blansko X Cardion Hroši Brno, Blansko, 7 p.m.
— Baseball: Eagles Praha X Draci Brno, MBS, 7 p.m.
— Baseball: Arrows Ostrava X Technika Brno, Arrows, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
— Women’s Football: Lokomotiva Brno H. H. X Dukla Praha, 11 a.m.
— American Football: Brno Alligators X Prague Black Panthers, 2 p.m.
— Baseball: Skokani Olomouc X Technika Brno, Skokani, 2 p.m.
— Baseball: Cardion Hroši Brno X Tempo Titans Praha, Hroši, 4 p.m.
— Baseball: Třebíč Nuclears X Draci Brno, Třebíč, 4 p.m.
— Men’s Basketball: Fio banka J. Hradec X mmcité+ Brno, 6 p.m.
— Men’s Football: Zbrojovka Brno X Viktoria Plzeň , 8:15 p.m.
— Horse Racing: Flat and steeplechase racing, Brno, Dvorska, 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
— Running: Brno Half Marathon, 10K or half marathon
— American Football: Brno Sígrs X Aquaponik Ostrava Steelers, 2 p.m.
— Baseball: Draci Brno X Tempo Titans Praha, MBS, 2 p.m.
— Baseball: Technika Brno X Třebíč Nuclears, Kraví hora, 2 p.m.
— Baseball: Cardion Hroši Brno X Arrows Ostrava, Hroši, 4 p.m.
— Hockey, Finals Game 5: Oceláři Třinec X Kometa 5 p.m.
——————————————————————————-
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
— Hockey, Finals Game 6 (if necessary): Kometa X Oceláři Třinec, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
— Men’s Basketball: mmcité+ Brno X NH Ostrava, 8 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball, Finals Game 1: ZVVZ USK Praha X KP Brno, TBD
Thursday, April 26, 2018
— Hockey, Finals Game 7 (if necessary): Oceláři Třinec X Kometa, 5 p.m.
Friday, April 27, 2018
— Baseball: Olympia Blansko X Cardion Hroši Brno, Blansko, 7 p.m.
— Baseball: Draci Brno X Eagles Praha, MBS, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 28, 2018
— Men’s Football: Dukla Praha X Zbrojovka Brno (Date subject to change)
— Baseball (doubleheader): Technika Brno X Arrows Ostrava, Kraví hora, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
— Baseball: Eagles Praha X Draci Brno, Krč, 7 p.m.
— Men’s Basketball: USK Praha X mmcité+ Brno, 6 p.m.
— Women’s Football: Lokomotiva Brno H.H. X FC Slovan Liberec, 11 a.m.
— Women’s Basketball, Finals Game 2: KP Brno X ZVVZ USK Praha, TBD
Sunday, April 29, 2018
— Baseball: Cardion Hroši Brno X Olympia Blansko, Hroši, 4 p.m.
— American Football: Pardubice Stallions X Brno Sígrs, 3 p.m.
— American Football: Pilsen Patriots X Brno Alligators, 1 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.
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