KAILUA-KONA — All of the chips are on the table now.
The Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) girls basketball semifinal matchups took place Monday night, with each team fighting hard to keep their seasons alive. With the KTA/BIIF Championships slated for tonight at Hilo’s Civic Center, the following teams will be playing for island glory and a spot in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Girls Basketball Tournament — beginning Feb. 7 on Oahu:
4 p.m. Honoka‘a vs. Kohala (third-place game)
5:30 p.m. No. 1 KS-Hawai‘i vs. No. 2 Hawaii Prep (Division II Championship)
7 p.m. No. 1 Konawaena vs. No. 2 Waiakea (Division I Championship)
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KSH 49 – HONOKA‘A 12 (DII)
No. 13 in the state, Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i, made quick work of No. 4-seeded Honoka‘a in the Warriors’ gymnasium — winning 49-12 and outscoring the Dragons in every quarter, including a 17-0 second period.
University of Hawai‘i at Hilo commit Keanu Huihui finished with a game-high 19 points with two 3-pointers made for KS-Hawai‘i (15-4 overall, 12-0 BIIF). Thus far in the year, the star forward/center is averaging 26.1 points per game. Teammate and Western Oregon volleyball commit Maela Honma added 12. Honma is the Warriors’ second-leading scorer on the season at 20.1 points a night.
Rylee Velazquez led Honoka‘a (9-7 overall, 7-5 BIIF) with six, ending her season at 17.6 points per game overall.
Both teams will continue competing this evening in Hilo.
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WAIAKEA 49 – HILO 9 (DI)
Hawaii powerhouse Waiakea blasted Hilo 49-9 in Division I’s other seminal matchup against Hilo. The No. 6 state-ranked Warriors made it a point to get an early big lead, outscoring the Vikings 36-5 in the opening half.
Waiakea’s Puaena Harrington finished with a game-high 20 points, followed by teammate Jolie Mantz adding 14. Harrington and Mantz lead the team in season scoring at 17.3 and 17 points per game in the BIIF, respectively.
Hilo’s top scorer was Ayla Feary with three points.
Waiakea (15-4 overall, 11-2 BIIF) will play in its toughest game yet against No. 4 state-ranked Kona in the Division I Championship tonight in Hilo. Hilo’s (3-11 overall, 3-9 BIIF) season has ended.
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HPA 51 – KOHALA 41 (DII)
Behind Hawaii Prep senior guard Brooke Samura’s brilliancy, Ka Makani handled Kohala for the second time in a week’s span at Castle Gym — this time in the island semifinal by a score of 51-41.
Samura scored 38 of the team’s 51, adding on to her monstrous season of 35.6 points per game, which leads the state.
The Cowboys’ Adriana Soriano added 10.
Ka Makani (12-5 overall, 10-3 BIIF) will face KSH for the Division II title tonight. Kohala (7-5) will play division rival Honoka‘a for third place tonight.
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KONA 67 – KEA‘AU 13 (DI)
Much like the DI matchup on the opposite side of the bracket, state powerhouse No. 4 Konawaena routed Kea‘au 67-13 in the Wildcats’ Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium.
Kona’s offense by committee worked against island competition once again, totaling three double-figure scorers who outmatched the Cougars’ roster — Tavina Harris with 16; Mikela Salazar-Harrell with 11; Haikela Hiraishi with 10.
In the BIIF season alone, the Wildcats have three double-digit scorers — Harris (15.1), Kaitea Galletes (13) and Hiraishi (10).
Kea‘au’s top scorers were Aliossa Kaheaku with five and Lenvy Adlawan with four.
While the Cougars’ season has come to a close, Kona (18-3 overall, 12-1 BIIF) will play for the crown tonight against another top-10 state-ranked squad in No. 6 Waiakea.