Our athletes' activities this coming weekend

The sporting event that will be the highlight of the weekend is the traditional Drago Jovović Memorial Handball Tournament, organized by Vrbas Handball Club in honor of its legendary player, Drago Jovović. The memorial tournament, featuring hosts Vrbas, Crvenka Handball Club—whose colors the legendary Drago Jovović defended—Jugović from Kać, and Spartak from Subotica, begins today. Crvenka and Jugović will meet in the first match at 17, followed by Vrbas and Spartak. The winners of these matches will play for first place tomorrow, while the losing teams will play for third place in this prestigious tournament, which also serves as a final tune-up ahead of the spring half of the championship. Tomorrow, Sivac’s handball team, our other representative in the Super B League, will take part in the 14 annual “Nemanja Stambolija” Memorial Tournament in Apatin, organized by Apatin Handball Club in memory of its goalkeeper, who died prematurely. Along with the hosts, Apatin, and Sivac, the tournament will feature Bačka Palanka’s Lavovi and Derventa from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sivac’s handball team will face Derventa at 17; the outcome will determine whether they play in the final or in the third-place match.

The basketball courts will be no less exciting.

The 13th round of the Serbian First Regional League features the season’s derby, with leaders Joker and Hajduk from Kula meeting in Sombor. So far this season, Joker have recorded eleven wins and one loss, while Hajduk have ten wins and two losses. Both teams have secured a place in the playoffs, but the match is very important because the points from head-to-head matches carry over into the playoff group. Hajduk basketball coach Danilo Borović says his team is ready and will face Joker at full strength, but without pressure, as the home team are favourites. That gives his players extra motivation to put in their best performance. The match between Joker and Hajduk will be played in Sombor tomorrow, starting at 17.

In round 13 of the First Women’s Regional League championship, Sivac’s women’s basketball team will visit Titel. The teams are of similar strength, as their positions in the standings show, so any result is possible. The match between the women’s teams of Titel and Sivac will be played in Titel tomorrow, starting at 18.

In the 14. round of the Second Republic Volleyball League, Hajduk's men's team travel to Kikinda. It is enough to say that Kikinda lead the table to know who the favourite is. However, encouraged by their win in the previous round, Hajduk's volleyball players say they are going to Kikinda to try to surprise the leaders. The match between Kikinda and Hajduk will be played in Kikinda tomorrow, starting at 16. Hajduk's women's team host Vrbas in the 10. round of the First Vojvodina League, in a local derby. Vrbas lead the table, while Hajduk have home-court advantage and will try to upset the favourites with the expected support from the stands. The match between Hajduk and Vrbas will be played on Sunday at the Petefi Brigade Primary School hall, starting at 19.

In a postponed match in round 13 of the First Vojvodina League, Hajduk’s bowling team travels to Bačka Topola on Sunday, where they will face Eđšeg at 11.

When it comes to football, teams from the Kula municipality are honing their form and getting ready for the spring season through friendly matches. The same will be true this weekend. Serbian League side Hajduk 1912 will visit Bečej tomorrow, where they will play a friendly against Bečej at 12. Former First League side Crvenka will host Njegoš from Lovćenac at their home ground in Crvenka on Sunday at 14 and 30. Rusin from Ruski Krstur, a member of the Sombor District League, will visit OFK Odžaci on Sunday at 14. Sivac's Polet will play two matches over the weekend. First, they will visit Bačko Dobro Polje tomorrow to play Sutjeska, then host Đurđin in Sivac on Sunday. Both matches will kick off at 14. District League side Lipar will host Iskra from Kucura at their home ground on Sunday at 12. On Sunday, local side Mladost and Kula will meet in Kruščić at 14 and 30.

Đ. Bojanić