Game of the Week: ZVVZ USK Praha look to hand UMMC Ekaterinburg first loss

PRAGUE (Czech Republic) - After being agonizingly denied a win against UMMC Ekaterinburg earlier in the season, ZVVZ USK Praha have the chance to make amends in the first Game of the Week matchup of 2022.

On a six-game winning streak and with a number of players all finding top gear, head coach Natalia Hejkova and her Praha team are flying right now. They will fancy their chances of taking down their opponents in this top of Group A encounter, even if the defending champions are still flawless.

Praha came so close to beating their rivals on Russian soil back in October, but fell short after being sunk by a buzzer-beater in a dramatic conclusion. It still remains one of the most absorbing and memorable of the Regular Season so far [If you missed that amazing game the first time around you can watch it for free here].

The live broadcast of the game between ZVVZ USK Praha and UMMC Ekaterinburg will be freely available on the EuroLeague Women YouTube channel, as well as on Facebook, at 19:00 CET on Wednesday, January 12.

Form guide: ZVVZ USK Praha are 8-2 in Group A and in second spot, chasing down the now 10-0 UMMC who have not only yet to taste defeat, but have also secured their ticket for the Quarter-Finals. Both teams are yet to suffer a loss in their respective domestic leagues, which further underlines their status as two juggernauts of the European female game. 

Last meeting: It was a classic as UMMC pipped Praha 75-73 in a nail-biting game that saw Veronika Vorackova go 7 of 8 for the visitors and get them onto the front foot. But, with ZVVZ USK Praha ahead by a point with a handful of seconds remaining, up stepped Alexandria Bentley who dropped a big triple from the corner to snatch victory for UMMC.

Which in-form baller named Jones will come out on top? Brionna (pictured) or Jonquel?

Key matchup: You can't get much better than the EuroLeague Women MVP for December Brionna Jones going up against her Connecticut Sun teammate, namesake and Regular Season MVP favorite Jonquel Jones. The center pairing know each other inside-out from all those practice tussles Stateside and in the first meeting, they both did great jobs for their respective clubs. Brionna had 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Jonquel delivered a 15-point and 10-board double-double. Will one of them be able to truly get the upper hand this time? 

X-factor: It's going to be fascinating to see which of these two teams can control and dictate the tempo and especially as the highly influential Courtney Vandersloot is now back to direct traffic for UMMC. With Teja Oblak having pulled the strings impressively for Praha and with so many great players all over the floor for each side, the playmakers have a big role to play. Especially with Praha being so effective in punishing turnovers, as the profit from 25 points per game this season when the ball is spilled by the other team. 

Wednesday, January 12

Group A
KSC Szekszard v MBA Moscow - 18:00 CET
Umana Reyer v TTT Riga - 19:30 CET

Thursday, January 13

Group B
Sopron Basket v Fenerbahce Safiport - 18:00 CET

Saturday, January 15

Group A
Perfumerias Avenida v Umana Reyer - 20:30 CET

FIBA