Naples’ Jettyn Jones goes up for a basket Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, in the Wildcats’ victory over Marymount on the opening day of the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany – No awards were given out Wednesday on the opening day of the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships. After all, it was just the first of a four-day affair.
But the 15 teams involved had some award-winning performances.
Most inspirational
Vicenza girls’ best two players entered the gym in crutches. Yet the Cougars pulled out a 26-22 victory over Aviano in their first game. And when the Saints later lost to Naples, Vicenza and the Wildcats each secured berths in Friday’s semifinals. A pool game on Thursday between Naples and Vicenza will determine seeding.
Most dominant
Though their female counterparts advanced to the next round first, the boys from Vicenza easily were the most dominant of the eight boys teams and seven girls squads on opening day.
Unbeaten in D-II play this season, the Cougars romped past Marymount 59-30 in their first game and then really came to life in a 58-39 victory over American School of Rome that officially ended with 2 minutes, 37 seconds left in the third quarter.
“We had a lot more energy in the second game,” forward Ben Harlow said. “We’ve got to carry that over to our game with Naples tomorrow morning.”
AOSR, which had gone 8-7 in D-II play this year, was never in the game against the Cougars, the tourney’s top seed.
“When we’re on, I like our chances,” Harlow said.
Naples’ Gracie Grannis didn’t get a foul called while driving for a layup. But her team defeated Aviano on the opening day of the DODEA European Basketball Division II Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Bahrain’s Mitali Madan shoots during a loss to the American Overseas School of Rome on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, on the opening day of the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome’s Silvia Goldman puts up a shot against Bahrain at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Black Forest Academy’s Danielle Cherry blocks a shot from Rota’s Allie DeMerritt at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships at Wiesbaden, Germany, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Black Forest Academy’s Emma Gibson puts up a shot against determined resistence from Rota defenders Allie DeMerritt and Sophia Dickkut in the Admirals’ opening day victory at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships on Wednesday, Feb.14, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza’s Trishauna Lewis puts up a shot in the Wildcats’ victory over Aviano at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano freshman Aubrey Cannon puts up a shot in the Saints’ loss to Vicenza on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Most mercurial
One team that was definitely not on was the Aviano’s boys team. The Saints, who split with Rota and swept Naples during the regular season, lost their opening game to Black Forest Academy in a game Aviano coach Keith Adams summed up in one word as a “disaster.”
Then the Saints found themselves tied with Bahrain at 34-34 and committed a foul and technical to send the Falcons to the line with 11 seconds left. All four free throws were off. But then after a wild series of scrambles, the Saints were called for a foul right at the buzzer. Drue Britton missed the first free throw but won the game with the second one.
Most unrecognizable
Because Bahrain traveled to Italy during the season, the only school that no one else in the field had seen was BFA. The Falcons split two boys contests and lost narrowly to Rota 36-35 in a girls game, with the Admirals’ Kate Warkentein providing the winning margin with a late free throw. BFA had three chances to put in a winning shot but couldn’t get up a fourth before the buzzer.
Pool play concludes Thursday at Wiesbaden High School, with semifinals set at the same location Friday before the championships are held Saturday at Clay Kaserne.
Vicenza’s Ben Harlow puts up a runner Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome’s Riley Smith puts up a shot and is challenged by Vicenza’s Simon Gilbert on the opening day of the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Rota’s Brian Leiba tries to score off an offensive rebound while being challenged by Bahrain’s Jacob Courts on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, during the opening day of the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Marymount’s Patrick Gianni scores on a twisting, reverse layup Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, on the opening day of the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano’s Andrew Walker goes up for a basket in the Saints’ loss to Black Forest Academy on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Black Forest Academy’s Nehemiah Perryman goes up for a basket while defended by Aviano’s Deon Walker on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, at the DODEA European Division II Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
