Black Forest Academy’s Abiele Kenmogne tries to get a shot off against American Overseas School of Romes’s Natalia DiMatteo in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. AOSR beat BFA 34-31 to advance to the championship game against Naples. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Naples still remembers the sting it felt when it lost last year in the semifinal round to American Overseas School of Rome.
The Wildcats were determined not to experience that again during the 2023 Division II DODEA European Basketball Championship at Southside Fitness Center, Germany. This season, standing in the way was a familiar foe in Vicenza.
Trailing by nine points at the 2 minute, 25 second mark in the third quarter, Naples avoided similar heartbreak, coming back to defeat the Cougars 46-39 on Friday afternoon.
“We were ready for redemption from last year,” Naples sophomore JuJu Martinez said. “Last year, we lost to AOSR in the semifinals, and it felt really good to beat Vicenza this year.”
Coach Jim Davis, meanwhile, was happy with the fact the Wildcats (13-5) made an 8-3 run in the closing minutes of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 32-28.
Then came the fourth-quarter effort, in which Naples took its first lead since late in the first quarter after a pair of Martinez free throws made it 36-34 with 5:11 remaining. The Wildcats never trailed after that point.
“At that moment, I was kind of content,” Davis said of the time break between the third and fourth quarters. “I was so proud of how they came back and fought in the third quarter against a very good Vicenza team.
“For them to go out in what seemed like the longest quarter I’ve coached in a long time and to come up big at free throws, rebounds, some timely shots and steals, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
What sparked the comeback was a quick 6-0 spurt over 54 seconds late in the third quarter.
Freshman Vanae Filer scored on a putback bucket, stole the ball and completed a layup on the next possession and then drove to the bucket with 55 seconds left in the frame to make it 29-26.
Filer finished the game with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
“Vanae’s only a freshman, a great athlete, but young kids sometimes take a little longer for it all to come together,” Davis said. “To come and play a big game on the big stage, I’m really proud of her.”
In the fourth quarter, Martinez took over. She scored 10 of her game-high 27 points in the frame, all of which came over the first three minutes. The 5-foot-8 forward attacked the bucket consistently and made them count.
“My adrenaline was up so much,” said Martinez, who posted a double-double with 11 boards. “I wanted to keep driving to the basket, getting the fouls, making the free throws. I wanted to win this game.”
Vicenza (19-3) was paced by Mackenzie Blue’s 14 points.
Naples’ JuJu Martinez shoots over Vicenza’s Addison Kropp in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. The Wildcats beat the Cougars 46-39. At left is Mackenzie Blue. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza’s Maya Fitch drives up the court against Naples’ Emma Kasparek in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. The Wildcats beat the Cougars 46-39. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza’s Addison Kropp takes a shot over Naples’s JuJu Martinez, left, and Kennedy Rascoe in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. The Wildcats beat the Cougars 49-39. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Naples’ Vanae Filer aims for the basket against Vicenza’s Laurel Gill in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. The Wildcats beat the Cougars 46-39. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Awaiting the Wildcats in the final will be the squad that ended their tournament run a year ago in Vicenza.
AOSR defeated Black Forest Academy in the first semifinal 34-31, also overcoming a halftime deficit to advance.
“We believed in us,” freshman center Nina Neroni said. “We worked hard, and we’re really happy that we won. It was very emotional. We put so much effort, and we were able to do it.”
Neroni, fellow freshman Natalia DiMatteo and senior Nissi Dauda played a key role in that comeback, even if it wasn’t on the scoresheet.
The three post players faced a tall task in trying to slow down BFA’s post players of Caelyn Wilbanks and Abiele Kenmogne. The duo combined for 15 points in the game, but zero came during the final frame, as AOSR (10-7) held BFA (8-10) to just two points.
“We had told them going into the game today that they were going to have to play a lot, play big, get the inside position and just freaking tough it out,” coach Lillian Aldred said of the post players. “They stepped up to the challenge, and I’m really proud of them.”
On offense, AOSR got enough contributions outside of junior Clara Clayton’s 16 points, especially in the fourth quarter.
Neroni had seven points – including a basket with 5:16 remaining to give her team a 32-31 lead – and 10 boards, and DiMatteo added another six points.
“That’s been our challenge all year,” Aldred said. “(Clayton) kept coming to me saying, ‘Coach, we’re not going to beat anybody if I’m the only person scoring.’ We really had to push them to score.”
Now, AOSR and Naples will prepare to play each other for the title on Saturday at Ramstein High School. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. It’s a rematch of each team’s second pool-play game, which AOSR won 25-11.
Davis said his Wildcats expect a tough game from the Falcons.
“They’ll make adjustments like they did against us in pool play,” Davis said. “This will be the fourth time this year, so it will be a slugfest.”
AOSR’s Natalia DiMatteo fights for the ball with Black Forest Academy’s Olivia Kruse in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. AOSR beat BFA 34-31 to advance to the championship game against Naples. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Black Forest Academy’s Caelyn Wilbanks and American Overseas School of Rome’s Nina Neroni fight for a rebound in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. AOSR beat BFA 34-31 to advance to the championship game against Naples. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome’s Clara Clayton shoots over Black Forest Academy’s Emma Gibson in a Division II semifinal at the DODEA-Europe basketball championships in Ramstein, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. AOSR beat BFA 34-31 to advance to the championship game against Naples. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
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