European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 2, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 34 stars and stripes monday april 2 2007 Ramstein women take us forces Europe hoops title lady rams Clamp Down on defense cruise to Victory Over lady eagles by Rusty Bryan stars and stripes Wiesbaden army air Field Germany the ram Stein lady rams put first things first in sundays 6045 Triumph Over the Wiesbaden lady eagles in the championship game of the us forces Europe basketball tournament we came out As we always do and focused on defense ram s Shonte Williams said after the Safe Champion nailed Down its first us forces Europe title if we play Good de sense the offence takes care of it self Ramstein played defense at a higher level than just Good jump ing on top of army Europe run Nerup Wiesbaden 228 after 11 minutes Wiesbaden missed its first 17 Field goal attempts on its Way to a 14for63 afternoon 22 a third of Wiesbaden scoring came from the foul line i Felt we had a comfortable Lead All Day Williams said if s More relaxing to play that Way but sometimes you can get too comfortable and let things get away they made a couple of runs at us but we were Able to set the Down and keep control the runs were never a serious threat the last time the lady eagles got within single digits was when they trailed 146 with to play in the first period Wiesbaden scoring aces Tania and Ayesha Potter combined for Only two Points in the opening 20 minutes and their teammate Dana Osborne Man aged just four in the first half Osborne led Wiesbaden with 12 Points and Potter and Spann each scored 10 but most of those came Long after the outcome had been decided Williams scored a game High 18 Points and teammate Arleta Ivey added 14 not even the loss of inside presence Nessa Burnett to a leg injury with 14 minutes left could slow Ramstein ram steins title game Waltz was the second time the teams had met in this three Day fou team event which pits the Safe Champion and runner up against their army Europe counterparts Ramstein downed wies Baden 4032 in saturdays win Ner bracket final in the 20minute games which preceded sundays decisive con tests Wiesbaden stopped Heidel Berg 3624 on saturday and 3429 in sunday mornings losers rack it final email Rusty Bryan at us forces Europe championships sunday at Wiesbaden women championship Ramstein 60 Wiesbaden 45 halftime Ramstein lady rams 29 wies Baden lady eagles 17 scoring Wiesbaden Dana Osborne 12 ate Sha Potter 10 Tania Spann 10 Elizabeth con Ner 5 Ireka Elmore 4 Jennifer Ramey 2 Crys Tal Smith 2 Ramstein Shonte Williams 18 Arleta Ivey 14 Nessa Burnett 6 Lakeisha Tucker 6 Cheryl Burnley 5 Crystal Lee 5 Ani aka Lecuyer 4 Shaunte Johnson 2 Michael and stripes ram steins Ashonda Williams left drives to the Basket against wies Badens Kendria Watson on sunday in Wiesbaden Germany Ramstein Defeated Wiesbaden 6045 to take the us forces Europe title Michael and stripes Heidelberg Ayo Lawson shoots against Wiesbaden of sunday in Wiesbaden Germany Heidelberg prevailed in the contest 8261 Heidelberg men Force second game is Wiesbaden Wiesbaden army air filed Germany the army Europe runner up Heidel Berg generals behind 23 Points from Shedrick june 17 from Ayo Lawson and 10 from Kenyatta Mack forced a deciding final game sunday evening with an 8261 Victory Over previously unbeaten Wiesbaden the Armye rope Champion in the us forces Europe basketball tournament the teams were playing their Winne Takeall deciding game As this edition of stars and stripes went to press sunday evening see tuesdays editions for cover age of the mens finale Heidelberg began the Day by eliminating Safe runner up Lakenheath 3130 in the los ers bracket final and stripes As Spring winds Down several players struggling with injuries training the associated press Esteban Loaiza and Eric Milton Are struggling to stay healthy at the end of Spring training no Bat Ting Champion Freddy Sanchez Hast fully recovered from his knee injury so Hes headed to the disabled list Loaiza was scratched from his scheduled Start saturday for the second time in three Days and the Oakland athletics Pitcher might begin the season on the disabled list because of tightness in his right shoulder Blade my first guess is he would Start on the do As manager Bob Geren said before a 64 exhibition Victory Over san Francisco he  pitch two Days ago and he  pitch today i dont see him pitching in four or five Days Loaiza Hopes it Doest come to that although he didst even at tempt to loosen up in the bullpen he int ruling himself out to make his first Start thursday against the los Angeles Angels if All goes Well ill throw a bullpen monday and tuesday and go from there said Loaiza an 11game Winner for Oakland last season Eric san Francisco giants Pitcher Barry Zito yawns in the dugout during an game against the Oakland athletics in san Francisco on saturday if he goes on the do the As would probably replace him with Brad Halsey Lenny Dinardo or Chad Gaudin their emergency starter saturday Milton is a key part of Cincin Natis rotation but his status is Uncertain As Well the Lethander was scheduled to Start the teams final exhibition game saturday against Florida but was scratched because of lower Back spasms reds manager Jerry Narron said Milton would be evaluated sunday in Cincinnati he is slated to Start the third game of the sea son thursday against the Chicago cubs Kyle Lohse filled in for Milton and gave up a Long Home run to marlins slugger Miguel Cabrera that landed on the Street outside fifth third Field in Dayton Ohio Florida beat a reds split squad 62 i did feel Good so that the most important part said Lohse who could occupy the no 3 or no 4 spot in Cincinnatus rotation Ken Griffey or went ofor2 with a strikeout As the reds designated hitter Sergio Mitre the marlins no 4 starter gave up one run and three hits in five innings at Bradenton Fla Sanchez was placed on the 15day disabled list and the Pittsburgh pirates infielder will miss at least four games Sanchez Hast played in a major league Spring training game since he sprained his right knee turning a double play March 6 he played in minor league games wednesday thursday and Friday but said his swing still int where he wants it to be i need to be Able to take major league a bats he said Sanchez who hit 344 last sea son will stay at the pirates minor league Camp and play in extended Spring training games for Sev eral Days he might play a game or two at triple Indianapolis on a rehabilitation assignment too because the pirates backdated the move Sanchez can be activated april 7 though it is Uncertain if he will be ready by then he Hopes to be ready for the april 9 Home opener against St Louis Jose Castillo will Start at Sec Ond base until Sanchez returns at St Petersburg Fla the Devil rays optioned second base Man Jorge Cantu to the minors in a Surprise move so he asked to be traded Cantu batted 286 with 28 Hom ers and a franchise record 117 Raisin 2005 but spent six weeks on the disabled list with a broken left foot last season and slumped to 249 with 14 homers his departure leaves the Start ing second base Job to by Upton one of 11 Tampa Bay players who Are on an opening Day roster for the first time Elijah Dukes also made the Tampa Bay roster and will Start in Center Field on opening Day on monday at Yankee stadium Reg ular Center fielder Rocco Baldesi has been slowed by a sore right hamstring and will be used As file designated hitter until Hes ready to play in the Field at Phoenix the Arizona diamondbacks placed Pitcher Randy Johnson and outfielders Carlos Quentin and Jeff Davanon on the 15day disabled list Quentin who has a shoulder in jury was backdated to March 23 he could be available april 7 Johnson who is returning from of season Back surgery is scheduled to make three minor league starts before joining arizonans rotation in the third week of april