Despite the lack of fans, the cross-town rivalry between KP Brno and Žabiny Brno provided drama and tension — and a 35-point individual performance. Photo Credit: Žabiny Brno.
Brno, Jan. 13 (BD) — FC Zbrojovka starts its fight against relegation on Saturday; Teniya Page scores 35 to lead KP Brno over Žabiny Brno; Basket Brno could regain momentum with wins over lowly Ostrava this week; and HC Kometa is working on a mid-season move up the standings.
MEN’S FOOTBALL
Zbrojovka Resumes Struggle to Stay in Top League
FC Zbrojovka has returned from Malta and intensive training in order to focus on one important task: DO NOT GET RELEGATED AGAIN.
The team, which is back in the top league after two seasons in the lower league, is 2-3-9 with nine points and in 16th place in the standings, just three points from dead last. The bottom three teams in the league will be relegated at the end of the season in May.
The first game of the second half of the season will be at Mladá Boleslav on Saturday at 2 p.m. The team returns to Brno to host Liberec on Jan. 22, which will be a Friday evening game at 6 p.m. Fans still may not be in attendance due to restrictions against the spread of the coronavirus.
The team has a new coach, Richard Dostalek, who has served as an assistant for a long time and now has a chance to make his own mark. He has some bright spots from the fall campaign to build upon, including a tie against league-leading Slavia Praha in Prague in late November and a dramatic late win against Moravian rival 1. FC Slovacko in mid-December. The team is also still alive in the MOL Cup.
For updated information and the schedule for FC Zbrojovka Brno games, go to the league website at https://www.fortunaliga.cz/. The team website is at https://fczbrno.cz/. Use Google Chrome, right-click anywhere on the page and select “Translate to English”.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Page Leads KP Brno past Žabiny Brno
Teniya Page scored 35 points to lead KP Brno to a 76-83 victory at Žabiny Brno last Saturday.
The first cross-town rivalry game of the season was close throughout, but KP Brno was able to maintain the advantage through to the end. KP Brno (11-3) is third and Žabiny Brno (8-5) is just a spot below in the ŽBL. Both should remain with the top group after the regular season ends in four rounds.
Both Brno teams have tough games tonight: Žabiny Brno hosts second-place Sokol Hradec Králové (14-2) at 5 p.m. and KP Brno hosts perennial league-champion ZVVZ USK Praha (12-0) at 5:30 p.m. Fans are not allowed at the games. Watch them on Tvcom.cz.
Page, an American who played at Penn State University, came to KP Brno from Sweden, where she played for the Norrkoping Dolphins and averaged 20.8 points in 17 games last season. Her 35 points on Saturday was just over double her 14.4-point average through 10 games in the ŽBL.
For updated information and schedules for both teams, go to the league website at https://www.zbl.basketball/. The KP Brno team website is: http://www.kpbrnobasket.cz/ The Žabiny Brno team website is: https://www.bkzabiny.cz/ Use Google Chrome, right-click anywhere on the page and select “Translate to English”.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Basket Brno Gets Lowly Ostrava Twice this Week
Basket Brno is 8-8 and fifth in the standings despite losing 88-66 to Královští sokoli on Wednesday and 86-73 to BK JIP Pardubice on Saturday.
The men’s basketball team hopes to resume its most successful season in years when they face NH Ostrava, which is 5-12 and 11th in the league, twice this week: tonight in Ostrava at 7:45 p.m. and on Saturday in Brno at 4 p.m.
They have some games to make up but, when the 22-game regular season ends, they are in a good position to stay in the top bracket.
For updated information and the schedule for Basket Brno games, go to the league website at https://www.nbl.cz/. The team website is: https://basketbrno.cz/ Use Google Chrome, right-click anywhere on the page and select “Translate to English”.
MEN’S HOCKEY
HC Kometa Building Momentum
Kometa has won five of its last six games and lost just three times since mid-December as it starts to mount a playoff run.
Most recently, Kometa beat Zlin twice on the road, lost in extra time against HC Škoda Plzeň, 2-3, on Sunday and, last night (Tuesday), beat HC Sparta Praha, 4-3, with a goal less than a minute into the first extra period.
The legendary Brno hockey team, which has won more national titles than any other, is currently in ninth place in the 14-team Tipsport extraliga with 44 points through 30 games.
For the league website, go to https://www.hokej.cz/tipsport-extraliga. For updated information and the schedule, go to the team website at https://hc-kometa.cz/. Use Google Chrome, right-click anywhere on the page and select “Translate to English”.
