Black Forest Academy shooting guard Mateo Chamberlain goes for a floater against Aviano guard Bryson Russell during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany – Jourdan Timmons felt the pressure as she stepped to the free-throw line with 2.8 seconds to play against Aviano.
The Rota junior point guard had a chance to ice the game following a technical foul against the Saints. The Admirals were nursing a two-point advantage after leading by as many as six points 2 minutes before.
Timmons sank both free throws as Rota took down Aviano 48-44 in a Division II pool-play match at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Wednesday afternoon at Wiesbaden High School.
“It was really stressful, but I knew we could pull out a win if we just stayed focused and were able to maintain the ball,” Timmons said. “That’s what we did. So, I’m really proud of us.”
The win puts the fifth-seeded Admirals (8-6) in the driver’s seat for a semifinal place. The Saints (7-8) were the fourth seed.
The Rota girls were the only Division II lower seed to win Wednesday in either the boys or girls tournaments.
Even though Rota dropped its second matchup of the day to top-seeded American Overseas School of Rome 47-34, an AOSR victory over Aviano Thursday morning will advance the Admirals to the knockout stages.
“We knew we had to win that one to have a chance to advance, and our girls pulled it off,” Rota coach Edward DeMeritt said.
The two teams exchanged the lead six times in the second half, before the Admirals used a 7-0 run over a minute span midway through the fourth quarter to make it 40-34. Timmons capped that run with a triple.
Aviano pulled it back to a one-possession game thanks to a pair of buckets from Aubrey Cannon (21 points), but once again the Admirals pushed out the lead to six with an Allie DeMeritt (20 points) jumper and another pair from the charity stripe for Timmons (21 points).
Vicenza senior Joe Kelly shoots during a Division II pool-play game against Bahrain at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano forward Deon Walker drives to the bucket against Black Forest Academy's Luke Hartman during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Naples forward Darcel Shine shoots over Vicenza’s Yareli Telles, left, and Jenina Smith during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Bahrain forward Hanaah Oshin goes up for a shot against Black Forest Academy's Madi Williford, left, and Esther Maples during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza guard Jace Herron passes the ball as American Overseas School of Rome guard Meng Jiang follows during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome forward Zaiden El Kilany passes as Vicenza’s Simon Gilbert defends during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
“I told those girls not to quit, just keep playing till that last whistle,” DeMeritt said. “If they don’t give up, good things happen.
“The girls hit some big shots at key times.”
The loss to AOSR later stung for the Admirals, as they trailed by 24 points heading into the fourth quarter before storming back and cutting the deficit in half with 3 minutes remaining.
Timmons and DeMeritt said the team must learn from its mistakes against AOSR if it wants to make a deep run. But the win over Aviano is the confidence booster the Admirals needed, according to Timmons.
“I think once we got over that first big hump, we’re going to keep that momentum going,” she said.
Bahrain shooting guard Dwayne Rogers looks to pass against Vicenza small forward Ben Morton during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Rota guard Kate Warkentien passes as Aviano guard Ily Zamora defends during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Naples guard Jettyn Jones dribbles down the lane between Rota’s Eyasu Selam, left, and Kaya Geylani during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza freshman Yareli Telles shoots a free throw during a Division II pool-play game against Naples at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano guard Joseph Guerrero points to where he wants to go in front of Black Forest Academy shooting guard Nehemiah Perryman during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Black Forest Academy center Kenna Clason looks to go up for a shot against Bahrain's Aliana Foreman during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Kelly gets perfect birthday gift
Joe Kelly was exhausted following Vicenza’s doubleheader sweep of Bahrain (64-23) and AOSR (65-26).
The hotel Vicenza (14-2) is staying at has a spa that costs only 10 euros to use, and the Cougars were planning to take advantage of that after the games.
Kelly’s birthday was Wednesday, and he said his teammate Michael Darland told him he’s getting something for his birthday. Paying for that spa trip was exactly what the 6-foot-3 forward desired.
“I’m hoping that’s the present,” Kelly said.
Going unbeaten on Day 1 of the DODEA Division II European championships was expected for the defending champion. And the Cougars mercy-ruled both of their opponents in the second half.
Still, coach Jesse Woods said Vicenza still can improve a few things.
“We can tighten up some things, especially on defense,” Woods said. “We didn’t shoot the ball well the first game, but I think we started to click again. I like where we’re at.”
Bahrain sophomore Sahar Gueroache reaches out for a loose ball during a Division II pool-play game against Black Forest Academy at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome guard Silvia Goldman drives to the basket during a Division II pool-play game against Marymount at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano senior Jazmyn Warren dribbles on the fast break during a Division II pool-play game against Rota at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
American Overseas School of Rome guard Silvia Goldman drives to the basket as Rota's Jourdan Timmons defends Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Marymount forward Patrick Gianni dribbles as American Overseas School of Rome guard Leone Maggi during a Division II pool-play game at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden Middle School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Marymount's Abyssinia Thompson corrals a rebound during a Division II pool-play game against American Overseas School of Rome at the 2025 DODEA European basketball championships on Feb. 12, 2025, at Wiesbaden High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
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