The closest thing we’ve seen all year to vintage powerhouse Konawaena basketball came Wednesday night in Waimea.
The closest thing we’ve seen all year to vintage powerhouse Konawaena basketball came Wednesday night in Waimea.
Kaliana Salazar-Harrell and Braelyn Kauhi scored 22 points apiece as the Kona Stingrays beat Hawaii Prep 69-38 in a high schools girls basketball game.
Salazar-Harrell was an all-BIIF guard as a sophomore last season as the Wildcats claimed their 11th BIIF Division I title in 12 seasons and reached the HHSAA title game. Kauhi is sophomore.
Juliana Watson added 10 points for Kona, which raced out to a 33-13 lead at halftime.
The Stingrays are a club team that coach Bobbie Awa has used as a feeder system to power Konawaena girls basketball to nine state titles since 2004. Awa and her daughter, Dawnyelle Awa, the co-coaches of the Wildcats, were on the bench Wednesday night.
With 15 points, freshman Brooke Samura scored in double figures for Ka Makani (2-1) for the third time in three games during a modified winter season that is being hosted by HPA and Kamehameha. Tiffany Bento also reached double figures with 10 points. Samura went for 24 points Saturday in a 65-15 victory against Christian Liberty, and she’s averaging just under 20 points a game.
On Thursday, the Kona Stingrays visit Hawaii Prep in boys action, and Kamehameha hosts Christian Liberty in a girls game.
