The AOSR Falcons celebrate their girls Division II title after defeating Vicenza 27-25 on a last-second basket at the DODEA-Europe Feb. 15, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany – Gloria Olivieri’s last-second shot Saturday gave the American Overseas School of Rome its third DODEA-Europe Division II girls title in four seasons.
And while the victory might have featured the most dramatic ending to any of the 200 wins in Falcons coach Lillian Aldred’s coaching career, it was also likely one of the most perplexing.
Olivieri’s layup after a frantic drive that started at half-court helped the Falcons cap an unbeaten season. But it came in a game saw the two teams miss 25 of 34 free throw attempts, commit nearly as many turnovers as they had points and featured two Falcons foul out with the game on the line after Aldred called a timeout and told her players to avoid fouling.
Not that anyone from AOSR, which finished the season 18-0, was dwelling much on that after the game.
Instead, the Falcons chanted “undefeated, undefeated” as they walked into the locker room.
A perhaps unlikely hero helped carry the team to the win.
Leah Renk gained a bigger role after last year’s all-tournament selection Natalia DiMatteo broke her ankle. She and Nina Neroni are the only bigs on the team with experience.
Renk might have had her best game of the season Saturday, keeping the Falcons within striking distance after Vicenza zoomed out to a 11-1 lead heading into the second quarter.
Every time she needed a bit of reassurance Saturday, she looked over to her coach.
“I could tell she never gave up on me,” Renk said.
She was referring to Aldred, who has coached in Beijing, South Carolina and now Rome.
Saturday’s victory was Aldred’s third title in four years in Europe that included an abbreviated event during the coronavirus pandemic.
Olivieri’s basket came after Vicenza had gained possession briefly after the Cougars leading scorer, Jenina Smith, missed a free throw with 11.2 seconds left that could have put Vicenza on top.
Smith had been fouled by tournament Most Valuable Player Silvia Goldman while bringing the ball up court. Goldman fouled out in the process, becoming the second starter to foul out in less than 30 seconds.
The Falcons gradually had trimmed into the Cougars’ lead in the final quarter but failed to go ahead despite numerous chances over a 2-minute span where neither team could find the bucket.
Renk tied the game with 2 minutes, 22 seconds to play with a free throw and Goldman – who finished with 10 points – gave AOSR its first lead 22 seconds later.
AOSR's Gloria Olivieri shoots the winning basket as time expires in the girls Division II final at the DODEA-Europe Feb. 15, 2025. AOSR beat Vicenza 27-25 to take the title. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
AOSR's Leah Renk looks for a shot after pulling down a rebound in front of Vicenza's Lexie Pollard in the girls Division II final at the DODEA-Europe Feb. 15, 2025. AOSR beat Vicenza 27-25 in the final second of play to take the title. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza's Trishauna Lewis takes the ball upcourt guarded by AOSR's Silvia Goldman in the girls Division II final at the DODEA-Europe Feb. 15, 2025. AOSR beat Vicenza 27-25 in the final second of play to take the title. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
AOSR's Keira Burke, left, and Leah Renk tie up Vicenza's Gracie Perry in the girls Division II final at the DODEA-Europe Feb. 15, 2025. AOSR beat Vicenza 27-25 in the final second of play to take the title. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
AOSR’s Keira Burke shoots over Vicenza’s Yareli Telles in the girls Division II final at the DODEA-Europe Feb. 15, 2025. AOSR beat Vicenza 27-25 in the final second of play to take the title. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza dominated the opening quarter. But the Cougars, known for their fast-paced play this season, went into a slowdown offense to start the second.
“I was trying to force them to come out of their zone,” Vicenza coach John Kohut said.
AOSR eventually played man-to-man the rest of the game, but the tactic initially gave Vicenza fewer chances to score than it would have otherwise. So when the Falcons – mainly Renk – got going, they trailed only 15-9 at halftime.
Renk had four points and three rebounds in a 20-second span in the third that cut the lead to 17-15. She finished with team highs of 11 points and 14 rebounds.
“She didn’t have a very good tournament at all the first three days,” Aldred said. “But who cares after her game today.”
The Falcons connected on only 5 of 15 free-throw attempts. But that was better than Vicenza, which went 4 of 19.
“Four freshman starters and it looked like nerves got to them today,” Kohut said. “We’ll be back next year.”
Yareli Telles, who fouled out with 6:57 to play, led the Cougars with eight points and Smith had seven. Gracie Perry had six points and 11 rebounds.
