Vicenza's Jenina Smith scores on one of numerous fastbreaks she was on after Aviano turnovers Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, during a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany – The American Overseas School of Rome and Vicenza girls basketball teams have done this before.
In fact, the Falcons have done nothing but appear in the championship game of the DODEA-Europe Division II basketball championships for the last six years.
So, Saturday’s rematch of last year’s title contest – won by AOSR at the buzzer – is not new territory for either team.
The Falcons reached the final game by topping Black Forest Academy on Friday, and Vicenza held off Aviano in the other.
American Overseas School of Rome's Silvia Goldman drives past Black Forest Academy's Esther Lee during a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Black Forest Academy's Esther Lee lofts a shot Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, in a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome's Leah Rink takes a shot Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, during a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Black Forest Academy's Priscilla Sivonen shoots Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 in a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division III basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome's Natalia DiMatteo lines up a shot Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, while coach Lillian Aldred watches in the background during a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
AOSR 30, BFA 23: The Falcons from Rome held the Falcons from Kandern scoreless in the second quarter until Charlotte VanMeter’s basket with less than 10 seconds to play.
That gave AOSR a 17-7 halftime advantage, and BFA could never quite recover.
“But we never quit,” BFA coach Carol Dockrey said.
She pointed to three players fouling out as evidence of that.
“We always expect a good game from BFA,” AOSR coach Lillian Aldred said.
In fact, looking at the faces of the seven AOSR seniors after the game, one might have thought they were on the losing end.
“It’s hard,” point guard Silvia Goldman said of her team’s emotions. “We’ve played together for so long. It’s really sad. But I’m glad we can make it back to the finals one last time.”
It was Goldman’s sprint from one end of the court to the other and layup at the buzzer that won it for AOSR a year ago.
Friday, BFA cut the deficit to only three points late in the third quarter, but that was as close as it got the rest of the way.
Goldman and Natalia DiMatteo each had nine to lead AOSR. BFA’s VanMeter also had nine.
Vicenza's Yareli Telles puts up a shot Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, while guarded by Aviano's Gigi Fortuna, right, during a semifinal at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza's Jenina Smith shoots while Aviano's Ily Zamora tries to stand her ground Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, during a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano's Aubrey Cannon puts up a scoop shot Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, while defended by Vicenza's Gracie Perry during a semifinal game at the DODEA-Europe girls Division II basketball championships in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza 46, Aviano 33: A slow start doomed the Saints, who trailed 26-12 at halftime.
Or one might look at it as a strong start for the Cougars, which senior Trishauna Lewis said the team hopes to duplicate Saturday.
“We’ve got to get off to a strong start,” she said. Lewis was a junior with three freshmen also in the starting lineup a year ago.
She and Yareli Telles – who finished with a game-high 16 points Friday – said they hope another year playing together makes the difference.
“We didn’t know each other,” Telles said. “We were all freshmen.”
Of course, they’ll be facing a team heavily laden with seniors on Saturday.
“It’ll be a good game to watch,” Telles said.
Friday’s game against the Saints became a good game to watch in the second half as Aviano rallied to get close. But Vicenza seemed to have an answer every time Aviano pulled within striking distance.
“We need to just play the way we did in the second half all the time,” Saints coach Moriah Barthold said.
As usual, junior Aubrey Cannon (12 points) and senior Ily Zamora (seven) led the way for Aviano. Jenina Smith (10), Gracie Perry (nine) and Lewis (seven) were part of Vicenza’s balanced attack.
