Six teams battle for Junior Basketball Championship

By Michael Griffin, Hohenfels Sports and fitness DirectorMarch 23, 2015

Youth Basketball Championships
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Hohenfels, Germany -- Teams from across Germany and Italy gathered at Hohenfels Main Post Gym for the Child, Youth and School Services Installation Management Command- Europe East Division Junior Basketball tournament, recently.

Teams representing U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach , Aviano Air Base, USAG Bavaria (Vilseck and Hohenfels,) USAG Stuttgart and USAG Vicenza competed in a two day pool play tournament. The top two teams from pools A and B advanced to play in the semifinals and finals on Sunday.

Hohenfels' Paula McKeena kicked off the tournament singing the national anthem, and the day was full of exciting moments that had the fans cheering like they were the NCAA Championship Basketball game.

Aviano emerged as the number one seed in Pool A, beating Vilseck 46 to 38 and smashing Hohenfels, 47- 11. Vilseck finished second in Pool A, beating Hohenfels 5-18.

Stuttgart emerged as the top seed in Pool B, playing smart fundamental basketball to narrow out Ansbach at 38-31 and squeak by Vicenza at 42-41. Ansbach then defeated Vicenza, 31-25, to snag second place in Pool B.

Ansbach, Aviano, Bavaria and Stuttgart advanced to play in day two.

In the semi-finals, Ansbach upset Aviano, 42-39, while Stuttgart beat Viseck, 35-31, setting up a rematch between Ansbach and Stuttgart in the championship game.

Stuttgart poured it on in the second half, defeating Ansbach again at 40-29, and claiming the IMCOM-Jr Basketball Championship title

In the consolation games Vilseck defeated Aviano, 29-28, to win third place.