HHSAA Girls Basketball
Konawaena outlasts Maryknoll for third straight D1 championship


  



Sat, Feb 4, 2017 @ Blaisdell


Final 1 2 3 4  
Maryknoll (13-1, 28-3) 10 9161348
Konawaena (12-0, 18-2) 14 8 17 1453
C. Molina 14 pts  8/9 FTs
R. Omori 12 pts  1 3pm  3/5 FTs
C. Kaupu 9 tot  2 off  7 def
K. Kamakawiwoole 7 tot  2 off  5 def
C. Molina 6 ast
R. Omori 6 ast

KAKAAKO — The Konawaena Wildcats three-peat as state champions.

Top-seed and No. 2 Konawaena outlasted second seed and top-ranked Maryknoll, 53-48 in front of 2,037 fans in the Snapple/HHSAA Division I Girls Basketball State Championships at the Neal Blaisdell Center on Saturday.

"It feels good. I think there was a lot of doubts, but I'm proud. We were confident all season long and we were going to build on it and win a state championship and they did it," said co-head coach Bobbie Awa.

Dawnyelle Awa, the co-head coach and Bobbie's daughter, starred at Konawaena and Washington State University, relished the opportunity to give back to her alma mater.

"She (Bobbie) taught me everything I know about the game. It was my experience playing college ball that I can bring to this program and it's exciting. They all followed me when I was in high school and they know the grind and how it works," added Dawnyelle.

Konawaena (18-2 overall), who only have eight players on their roster, found a way to beat the taller and longer Spartans down the stretch to capture their eighth overall championship. Cherilyn Molina led the Wildcats with 14 points, six assists and six steals; freshman center Caiyle Kaupu added 11 points and nine rebounds.

"Going through every practice and working hard paid off. We made history for our school. I was penetrating and dishing it out to the open girl," said Cherilyn Molina, who finished 8-for-9 from the charity stripe.

"I thought she did a good job finding people," said Bobbie Awa, on Cherilyn.

Maryknoll (28-3 overall), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champions, came up short for the second consecutive season. Rhianne Omori led the Spartans with 12 points, while Kamalu Kamakawioole added 10 points. The Spartans shot 10-of-19 from the free throw line and 2-for-12 from the perimeter.

"I said to them to be proud of your season. Competitive athletics is very brutal, only one team can win the whole thing. It doesn't disregard the season you had, we lost two games by one and five points. We were ILH champs three years in a row and we basically have our entire team back. There's nothing you can tell these kids tonight that will make them feel better. I joked with them that I guaranteed lost more of these than you have, if that's any consolation for them," said Maryknoll coach Chico Furtado, whose team has 11 juniors and two sophomores.

Tanniya Uchida hit her second 3-pointer for the Wildcats early in the fourth quarter to make it, 42-37. Konawaena milked time off the clock, until Chayse Milne's steal and layup and Kodee Viena converted a 3-point play to tie the game at 42 with 4:36 remaining. Celena Molina hit a jumper, but Viena tied it again at 44.

"We were tied with about four minutes left. It was definitely execution and they execute very well," said Furtado.

Konawaena was clutch from the free throw line in the final 3 minutes and finished 16-for-24 (66.6 percent) for the game. The Wildcats went to the bonus as Cherilyn Molina made both 1-and-1 foul shots and her sister Celena hit a pair to give Konawaena a four-point cushion.

Kamakawioole missed a pair of free throws with 2:12 left, but grabbed the offensive rebound and made the putback, however Maryknoll still trailed, 48-46. Cherilyn Molina converted a backdoor cut, to put Konawaena back up four, 50-46.

Mikayla Tablit missed a pair of free throws, but Viena and Milne each missed 3-pointers. Omori hit a floater with 7.7 seconds left and Maryknoll called a timeout and forced a turnover near the baseline. However, Kaupu went 3-for-4 from the free throw line to help put the finishing touches for the Wildcats.

"Just knock them down. No matter how far up or down you are, you have to knock them down," said Kaupu, on the free throws.

Snapple/HHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships All-Tournament Team
as selected by the HHSAA, media and coaches

Mikayla Tablit, Konawaena
Celena Molina, Konawaena
Kamalu Kamakawiwoole, Maryknoll
Rhianne Omori, Maryknoll
Mikiala Maio, Kamehameha

Most Outstanding Player: Cherilyn Molina, Konawaena

"She was confident and she's has been a starter all season, there was a lot of pressure, but she's got good leaders out there to help her out. She was clutch at the free throw line down the stretch," added Bobbie Awa.

The Wildcats picked apart the Spartans in the first quarter as Cherilyn Molina hit Mahie Kaawa on a cut to make it 8-2 early and Tablit hit a 3-pointer to make it, 11-2. Omori's made free throws and converted a 3-point play. Kamakawiwoole was fouled on a 3-point attempt and sank all three foul shots as Maryknoll trailed, 14-10.

"We did a good job, made nice passes and good backdoor cuts and kick-outs for open shots. It was about spreading the court," said Bobbie Awa.

"They are a team that executes their offense. They are patient, the back-cutting and dribble penetrate under control. When you help, they slide someone to the bucket," said Furtado.

Konawaena didn't score until the 4:56 mark in the second quarter on Cherilyn Molina's free throws. Omori hit a 3-pointer and fed Sisilia Kaufusi to bring it within two, 18-16. Kaufusi made another basket to make it, 20-19, but Tablit was fouled with 0.01 seconds left and made free throws to take a 22-19 lead at halftime.

"We had some breakdowns, but we made adjustments and found ways to keep them in the game," said Bobbie Awa.

Milne's five points brought the Spartans within one, 25-24 and Maryknoll took the lead for the first time since the first quarter, 32-31 after Ysabelle Halemano's drive. Tablit split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 32 and Uchida's first 3-pointer tied it at 35. Kaawa converted Cherilyn's assist and Cherilyn went to the line with 4.1 seconds left to hit two free throws to make it, 39-35 heading into the fourth.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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