Sunday, February 25, 2001

By Rusty Bryan
Stars and Stripes

Michael Abrams / Stars and Stripes Bitburg's Constance Maziel goes in for a basket against ISB's Kate Tuthill.

MANNHEIM, Germany — A championship, not revenge, was on the minds of the Bitburg Lady Barons in the European Division II basketball title game.

Bitburg entered Saturday’s contest against International School of Brussels with three losses this season, including two at ISB that cost the Lady Barons the conference crown. That was all in the past, Bitburg’s Kimberley McLear said.

"We just approached this as a regular game," said McLear after the Barons defeated ISB 45-36.

After falling behind 14-4, the Lady Barons outscored ISB 21-5 in the second quarter. The assault, fueled by 10 of Constance Maziel’s game-high 19 points, leveled ISB, which got no closer than six points the rest of the way.

The victory was a welcome reward for Bitburg’s Crystal Bessler, whose family departed the command Feb. 9. Bessler elected to stay for the tournament, living with teammate Brittany Sanders. Her presence proved vital — she had the winning bucket in the Lady Barons’ 30-29 semifinal victory over Patch. On Saturday, she contributed a team-high six rebounds and seven points, but had little time to bask in her teammates’ gratitude.

"I fly out at 7 a.m. tomorrow," Bessler said.

Maziel was the key contributor for the Barons. In addition to scoring 19 points, she passed out five assists and made three steals.

In Saturday’s Division II third-place game, Patch, led by the redoubtable Joanna Miller, hammered Vilseck 48-16.

Miller had 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

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