“But in looking at the overall tournament, if I were a fan and not a coach, I’d get there early because all of the games are going to be good.”
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
All season long, Kamehameha and Pahoa have had targets on their backs as the defending Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I and II champions, respectively. And both played well enough to earn first-round byes in the league tournaments.
But that’s all both teams have accomplished and for the talented Warriors and Daggers, this year’s BIIF tournaments could be more wide open than ever before with any one of the six teams in each division having a legitimate shot at pulling off a stunner and claiming one of the league’s state-tournament berths.
The BIIF will send two teams to both the state D-I and II tournaments in two weeks on Oahu.
“In both D-I and D-II, it’s going to be interesting this week,” Pahoa coach Marc Saito said. “In girls, you had your clear-cut favorites. But with the boys, you can’t count anyone out. It’s wide open.”
The BIIF’s single-elimination playoffs start Wednesday — and it could be a wild ride with 2,500-plus fans filling Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium for the semifinals and finals on Friday and Saturday nights.
In D-II at 6 p.m. Wednesday, it’s West No. 3 Honokaa (3-7) at East No. 2 St. Joseph (6-6) and East No. 3 Ka’u (2-10) at West No. 2 Kohala 6-4). East No. 1 Pahoa (9-3) and West No. 1 Hawaii Prep (7-3) draw first-round byes.
In Friday’s semifinals at the Civic, Hawaii Prep plays the Honokaa-St. Joseph winner at 3 p.m., followed by Pahoa vs. the Ka’u-Kohala winner at 4:30 p.m.
In D-I at 6 p.m. Wednesday, it’s East No. 3 Waiakea (5-7) at West No. 2 Kealakehe (6-4). At 7:30 p.m. at the Civic following the Honokaa-St. Joseph contest, East No. 4 Keaau (1-11) will battle East No. 2 Hilo (8-4). East No. 1 Kamehameha (11-1) and West No. 1 Konawaena (8-2) draw first-round byes.
In Friday’s D-I semifinals at the Civic, it’s Konawaena vs. the Keaau-Hilo winner at 6 p.m. and Kamehameha vs. the Waiakea-Kealakehe winner at 7:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the D-II championship will be played at 6 p.m., followed by the D-I title game at 7:30 p.m.
The state D-I and II tournaments will run concurrently, Feb. 22-25 on Oahu.
“For us, we’ve got to be more patient on our possessions and cut down on our mistakes,” Saito said. “Our turnovers this year have been costly. We also have to play better helpside defense.
“But in looking at the overall tournament, if I were a fan and not a coach, I’d get there early because all of the games are going to be good.”