Aviano’s Gabriella Fortuna puts up a shot while being fouled by Rota’s Carly Jacobs in the Saints’ 58-32 victory Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – Maria Barthold hasn’t completely figured out her team yet.

But the Aviano girls basketball coach pushed the right buttons Friday night. Concerned the Saints might let their opponents dictate the tempo – as has happened a few times already this season, Aviano started out the game in a full-court press.

“Let’s be aggressive from the jump,” Barthold said of her strategy. “Set the tone squarely where we wanted it to be.”

The Saints certainly got the result they wanted – a 58-32 victory over Rota. The Admirals turned the ball over 46 times and Aviano held a 45-23 advantage on the boards in handing Rota its first loss of the season after four victories.

Aviano, now 2-3 on the season, was paced by sophomores Gabriella Fortuna and Aubrey Cannon, who scored 21 and 20 points, respectively.

“In DODEA sports, anyone can beat anyone. At least most of the time,” Barthold said. “So why not us? When we’re at the top of our game, it’s going to be hard to beat us.”

Aviano led 23-16 at halftime before blowing the game open in the third quarter. Rota had turned the ball over 18 times in the opening half, but it got worse in the second half.

The Admirals were playing without point guard Emcee Amatorio, who transferred to Osan, South Korea, last week.

“But that’s not an excuse,” Rota coach Edward DeMeritt said. “We had girls playing in positions they weren’t used to. They’re going to have to adjust. We’re going to learn from tonight.”

It doesn’t get any easier for the Admirals as they take on American Overseas School of Rome on Saturday morning. The Falcons, who finished second in Europe a year ago, are off to a 2-0 start.

Aviano, which has generally had trouble scoring much in recent years, put up 21 points in the third period Friday. That included a few pretty give-and-go plays involving Cannon, Fortuna and Jazmyn Warren as they traded cutting to the basket and making the assist. Warren, who grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and blocked four shots, is also in her second year at the school, though she has reclassified after taking an array of extra classes during summer breaks. So she’s one of two seniors on the squad.

Allie DeMeritt led Rota with 15 points.

Aviano sophomore Aubrey Cannon lines up a shot against Rota on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Cannon had 20 points, six rebounds and five steals in a 58-32 victory. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Rota’s Jeanice DeSilva gets fouled by Aviano’s Nevaeh Zamora on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 in a game at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Aviano freshman Emma Burrows shoots near the basket before Rota’s Jeanice DeSilva can reach her on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Aviano’s Ily Zamora goes down hard after getting fouled by Rota’s Kate Warkentein after the Saints’ junior picked up one of her game-high eight steals in a 58-32 victory Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

All eyes are on Rota’s Kate Warkentein as she puts up a shot Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in a game against the Aviano Saints. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Boys

Aviano 44, Rota 22: There weren’t a lot of moments Friday that will likely be included in the Saints’ highlight reel after the season is over. But Aviano did halt a two-game losing streak.

“I think we missed 11 layups in the first half,” Saints coach Keith Adams said, shaking his head.

But he did see positives, mainly in the form of three seniors who are longtime Saints. Joseph Guerrero had his strongest game of the season, finishing with 17 points, six steals and five rebounds. Brothers Andrew Walker (five steals) and Deon Walker (seven rebounds) seemed to be everywhere that Guerrero wasn’t.

“We need those seniors to play like that,” Adams said. “We need that leadership.”

The trio’s strong play helped offset an off night by junior Nash Stoner, who entered the game with the highest scoring average in DODEA-Europe at more than 29 points a contest. He was in foul trouble for much of the game and finished with 16 points.

Stoner picked up most of his fouls guarding Rota sophomore center Parker Njoku, a transfer from Stuttgart who finished with a career-high 12 points and seven rebounds.

The Admirals (0-5) don’t have anybody on this year’s squad who saw meaningful action a year ago and coach Ben Anderson said that it’ll be up to Njoku, junior forward Kaya Geylani and several others to continue to improve and come together as a team.

“And I think we will,” he said. “We want to just keep getting better. That’s the goal every game.”

As for Aviano, Adams said his players are adjusting to a tweak to the program’s longtime 1-3-1 zone defense they’ve been working on after getting swept by defending champion Vicenza to end play in December.

“It’ll come together,” he said. “By tournament time, we’ll have it down.”

Both Saints teams also take on the Falcons on Saturday after AOSR and Rota clash to open the day.

Aviano’s Nash Stoner goes up for a shot Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in the Saints’ 44-22 victory over Rota at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Rota’s Kaya Geylani puts up a jump shot Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in a 44-22 loss to Aviano on the Saints’ home court. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Aviano’s Nash Stoner tries to score after an offensive rebound Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in the Saints’ 44-22 victory over Rota. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Rota’s Kaya Geylani drives around Aviano’s Bryson Russell on his way to the basket Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Aviano’s Bryson Russell goes up for a jump shot while defended by Rota’s Kaya Geylani on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. ()

Rota’s Howard McLean shoots the ball before Aviano defender Bryson Russell can get to him Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)