Konawaena moved one win away from seventh heaven.
Konawaena moved one win away from seventh heaven.
Sophomore Cherilyn Molina scored 14 points, Mikayla Tablit chipped in 13 and Ihi Victor finished with 12 as the Wildcats dismantled Kaiser 63-25 in an HHSAA Division I semifinal at Moanalua High in Honolulu.
While the top-seeded Wildcats’ win over the unseeded Cougars was an noncompetitive as expected, on the other side of the bracket No. 3 Maryknoll knocked off MIL powerhouse Lahainaluna 63-61 on a last-second layup.
BIIF champion Konawaena (14-0) seeks its seventh state title at 7 p.m. Friday at Stan Sheriff Center against the ILH champion Spartans (15-2).
The Cougars (11-4), the OIA’s No. 5 team, never stood a chance against the Wildcats, falling behind 20-3 after the first quarter. Only two players scored for Kaiser as Roselynn Shimaoka led all scorers with 20.
Chanelle Molina scored eight points with eight rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes for the Wildcats, who 48.4 percent from the field and forced 25 turnovers.
Konawaena had a 16-0 run in the first quarter, a 10-0 run in the second and a 9-0 run in the fourth.
Kaiser 3 6 10 6 – 25
Konawaena 20 16 14 13 – 63
Hilo 50, Mililani 36: Sharlei Graham-Bernisto paced four players in double figures with 13 points and Vikings’ harassing defense forced 33 turnovers to finish off the Trojans and reach the fifth-place game.
BIIF runner-up Hilo (12-3) didn’t allow a point in the fourth quarter to break open a close game.
Because of all of its turnovers, Mililani (11-5), the OIA’s No. 5 team, took only 24 shots, making 50 percent.
Hilo shot 20 of 39 and scored 33 points off the Trojans’ miscues.
Mandi Kawaha scored 12 points for the Vikings and Faith Loeak and Sharry Pagan each had 10.
The Vikings play ILH runner-up Punahou (14-4) at 3 p.m. Friday at Stan Sheriff Center for fifth.
Hilo 15 12 10 13–50
Mililani 9 13 14 0– 36