KEALAKEKUA — It was business as usual for Konawaena girls basketball on Thursday night.
The Lady Wildcats faced off against the visiting Christian Liberty Academy Canefire inside Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium, experimenting with different lineups and positions. Kona’s bench unit primarily played in the first half, with the starters getting more runs in the second. Despite the different approach, the Lady Wildcats were able to win comfortably, 58-12.
Kona played its usual game — deploying an aggressive style of defense that included double-teams and traps, while also running in transition for easy baskets.
Lady Wildcats shooting guard Mikela Salazar-Harrell, the team’s second-leading scorer with 11 points per game in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF), dropped a game-high 16 points. Teammate Kajzia James added 14 points, while Shailea Ho‘okahi-Bannister — the team’s leading scorer this season — scored 12.
Kona improved to 11-2 on the season and 6-0 in league play, averaging 73.2 points per game while allowing 12 — giving the green and white a phenomenal +61.4 point differential in the BIIF. The Lady Wildcats next challenge will take place Monday night in Honoka‘a town against the Lady Dragons.
The Canefire (1-7) has lost four straight, and will try to right the ship against Kohala on Jan. 7 inside King Kamehameha Park Gymnasium.
Kohala 66, KSH 53
Kohala boys basketball was down at halftime, but thanks to its championship DNA and impeccable team chemistry, the Cowboys escaped the visiting Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i Warriors by out-scoring them 39-22 in the second half to go on to win Thursday in Kapa‘au.
KSH, now 5-2 overall and 3-1 in BIIF play, gave Kohala all it could handle. Swingman Kiai Yasso, the Warriors leading scorer with 25 points per game on the island, scored a game-high 22 points with three 3-pointers converted. Running mate Kaikuakea Kahana-Rowe added 11. KSH led 31-27 through two quarters.
But the Cowboys’ system by committee ultimately triumphed in the end, as Isaac Salvador-Libron, Hezekiah Wilson and Royden Tabiolo combined for 50 points with seven 3s. Other contributors such as Jayden Hook and Lucky Kobeney combined for 16.
Kohala is now 3-0 in the BIIF and 5-5 overall, averaging 71.3 points per game while allowing 36.7 in league play. The Cowboys’ next test will be against Konawaena on Jan. 6 at home.
The Warriors still remain one of the island’s top teams, averaging 65.5 points per game and allowing 49.5. They’ll return to the hardwood on Jan. 4 against Hawaii Preparatory Academy in Kea‘au.
Pahoa 85, Laupahoehoe 15
After dropping its first four games of the new season, Pahoa boys basketball bounced back in a big way Thursday night on the Hamakua Coast — routing the hosting Laupahoehoe Seasiders in an 85-15 onslaught.
The paper was unable to obtain a stat sheet for this game by deadline. Pahoa is averaging 54 points per game, while Laupahoehoe is scoring 27.
The 1-4 Daggers will look to build off the win in their next matchup against St. Joseph on Jan. 6 in Pahoa town. Laupahoehoe is now 0-5, and will try to get its first win against the Cardinals at 6 p.m. tonight at home.