Ramstein's Alexis Tri fouls Stuttgart's Adan Maher with only 1.3 seconds left in the Division I girls basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany,Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Alexis Tri fouls Stuttgart's Adan Maher with only 1.3 seconds left in the Division I girls basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany,Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Linda Naglack gets tangled up with Stuttgart's Adan Maher during the Division I basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
Players go for a loose ball during the Division I basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
Shemilia Johnson goes up to block a shot from Stuttgart's Carly Sharp during the Division I basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Alexis Tri looks for a pass during the Division I basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Adeline Bonilla tries to get around a defender during the Division I basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Haley Deome screams to distract Stuttgart's Jaelyn Page as she heads to the basket during the Division I basketball championship game between Ramstein and Stuttgart at Clay Kaserne Fitness Center, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Stuttgart won the game 29-24. (Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany – Adan Maher often doesn’t have the most gaudy statistics.
But the Stuttgart senior left the court Saturday with a claim that few of her peers or predecessors in DODEA-Europe girls basketball can claim: three-time champion.
After playing even with rival Ramstein through three and a half quarters, the Panthers owned the last few minutes in a 27-24 victory – their third straight championship.
And Maher, who finished with 10 points, was a big reason.
Robin Hess, Stuttgart head coach, had one thing to say about Maher as she walked off to celebrate with her team: “Adan Maher is a born leader.”
Maher’s steal and subsequent layup tied the game at 21-21 with 5 minutes, 6 seconds left to play.
Ramstein forged ahead again. Two free throws by Liv Sullens put Stuttgart back on top 25-24.
Maher made it 26-24 with another free throw. Then, with Ramstein trying to tie the game, Sullens came up with the ball after a wild scramble and was fouled with 10 seconds left.
She missed the free throw. But Skye DaSilva Mathis grabbed it and two more consecutive rebounds and was fouled on her third attempt to score. She made one free throw to increase Stuttgart’s lead to 27-24 but missed the second.
Maher was there to grab the miss, though, and dribbled until she was fouled with 1.3 seconds to go. She drained both free throws and the game was over.
“It was a tough game and we just needed to play the best we could,” Maher said. “We had to keep looking for the backdoor cutters. They were killing us the first half. We did what our coach taught us and played good solid defense.”
Ramstein’s Alexis Tri and Maher battled throughout the first half that was marked by hustle and a few nifty drives to the basket, but not many points.
The first quarter ended 6-2 in Stuttgart’s favor. Ramstein battled back to tie it at 10-10 at halftime and the two teams were tied at 19-19 entering the final period.
Twitter: @AKStripes
