The high school basketball season won’t start for almost five months, but for many of the island’s youth travel teams the season is just ramping up. ADVERTISING The high school basketball season won’t start for almost five months, but for
The high school basketball season won’t start for almost five months, but for many of the island’s youth travel teams the season is just ramping up.
The summer action picks up today with the Stingrays Wahine Basketball Invitational at Kekuokalani Gymnasium in Kailua-Kona and Konawaena Gymnasium in Kealakekua. Some of the top girls teams from around the state will compete in four divisions — high school and 14-and-under, 12-and-under, and 10-and-under. The tourney wraps up Sunday evening.
The tournament will hosts its biggest field to date this year, with 26 teams from the Big Island, Maui, Kauai and Oahu participating.
The event also serves as a tuneup for many of the island’s elite travel teams that will be heading out to mainland tournaments in the coming months.
“Summertime basketball is a good excuse to get the kids in the gym,” Stingrays president Donny Awa said. “When tournaments are on the schedule, the kids really get to work.”
This summer, the Big Island will be represented at some of the premier tournaments around the nation, including the End of the Trail Shootout Tournament in Oregon, MidSummer Nights’ Madness in Seattle, and the AAU West Coast National Championships in Las Vegas.
The tradition of traveling to the mainland tournaments has given the Big Island youth a chance to gain exposure and get into the sights of college scouts.
“Our kids would get overlooked a lot, or sometimes not even seen simply because we do not have a way to get them exposure here,” said Daphne Honma, who along with Ka‘u athletic director Kalei Namohala started the Big Island All-Stars program in 2000.
The Big Island All-Stars will not be sending any teams to the mainland this summer because of dwindling numbers. However, Honma remains optimistic that the goal is still being accomplished.
“Since nobody was really doing it when we started up, it was easy to find kids,” Honma said. “It’s almost a good thing we are struggling because it means there are other opportunities out there. We are sad, but the most important thing is that the kids are getting the exposure.”
The Stingrays, Hoop Dreams and Keaukaha — coached by Hilo High School head coach Ben Pana — are some clubs sending teams to mainland tournaments. Honma said while the Big Island All-Stars won’t be sending any teams, they are planning to send players to an exposure camp in California next month.
A second reason for starting the program was to increase the level of competitiveness during the Big Island Interscholastic Federation season.
“We really wanted to develop the level of basketball on the island,” said Honma, who was voted the Division II Coach of the Year after elading the Dragons to the Division II state title in her first season back at the helm. “The thought was, they will get the experience of playing against tough mainland teams, then go back and try to make their teams better.”
It is safe to say, through a combined effort, that goal has been accomplished. The BIIF has seen a jump in competitiveness since the turn of the millennium, with no program receiving more of a boost than Konawaena.
Donny Awa coaches the boys, and Bobbie Awa — his wife — the girls team. They also combine to coach the Stingrays youth teams, where players range from 5-years-old to high school players.
“Travel teams can help build chemistry throughout the year,” said Donny Awa, referencing that some of the players on his high school squad this season had played together since they could dribble a basketball.
Both Wildcat teams captured their respective BIIF championships last season, but under Bobbie Awa, the girl’s program has been the best in the state for a decade.
Since 2004, the Wildcats have won five Division I state titles in girls basketball and have played in eight championship games. Previously, the only other two girls basketball state championships captured by a BIIF team were in 1985 and ’86 by Waiakea.
Kamehameha-Hawaii has represented the BIIF well on the state level as well, winning four Division II girls titles since 2004 and finishing runner-up behind Honokaa last season. On the boy’s side, Pahoa won the Division II crown in 2010 and Hawaii Preparatory Academy brought home the D-II title last season.
Konawaena incoming junior Chanelle Molina has earned the distinction of being the top player in the state, and is the centerpiece of the current Konawaena squad. Chanelle Molina, along with younger sister Celena Molina, and fellow Wildcat Mercedes “Ihi” Victor will be standouts on the Stingrays team.
The Stingrays roster is made up of players from all over the island — including HPA’s Gabbie Ewing and Kohala’s Tezrah Antonio — but Bobbie Awa admits the offseason play has paid dividends during the high school season.
“When they come back, you can really see the difference in the level of play,” Awa said. “It is a confidence booster and a real positive influence. It really helps all the kids.”
