Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Close the book on the prep career of Chanelle Molina.

The superstar guard wrapped up her four-year varsity career for the Konawaena Wildcats girls basketball team Friday night, leading her team to its second straight Division I state title with a 44-34 win over Maryknoll.

A crowd of 1,534 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center got the pleasure of watching Molina, a two-time All-Hawaii Player of the Year, in her swan song and what a performance it was.

The 5-foot-7 Molina rallied Konawaena from a one-point halftime deficit. She scored all of her team's nine third-quarter points and ended up netting 17 of her game-high 24 points in the second half.

"If we weren't composed, if we just let the crowd get to our heads it could have gone the other way, but we just had to dig down deep and play our game," said Molina, who made all six of her free throws in the final quarter. "I really wanted that ball in my hands."

Maryknoll coach Chico Furtado knew that it would only be matter of time until Molina began to impose her will in one way or another.

"Oh, of course," Furtado said. "At some point they're going to go to their best player and I thought we did a pretty good job for the most part, but they start spreading stuff out and you can't pay attention to only one player. I mean, she's such a good passer that if you doubled her she'll find an open man."

Molina was an efficient 8-of-9 shooting from inside the arc and was 8 of 9 at the free-throw line to go along with a game-high three assists and one steal.

Konawaena coach Bobbie Awa, who has more state championships to her name than any other coach in the 40-year history of the tournament, said Molina stepped up Friday night like she has so many other times in her illustrious prep career.

"Oh definitely, that last three minutes of the game it was time for her to take over and she knew that and I thought she did," Awa said.

According to Frank Mauz, a sportswriter in the ‘70s and 80's and a longtime observer of prep sports and girls basketball in particular, Molina averaged 18.1 points in 10 state-tournament games over her career. Former Konawaena star Lia Galdeira, who went on to star at Washington State before embarking on a professional career, averaged 15.3 points in 12 state-tournament games.

Mauz said Molina played at her best when the stakes were the highest.

"More than anyone she excelled versus mainland competition," Mauz said, noting Molina's 22-point, 16-rebound and five-assist game in an upset of Riverdale Baptist in the 2015 Iolani Prep Classic. "The greatest game I have ever seen at any level."

Molina also overcame a serious ankle injury she suffered earlier this season when the Wildcats traveled to Washington, D.C. for the prestigious Title IX Tournament.

Accolades aside however, Mauz said it's the person she is that makes Molina so special.

"After her games I've seen her sit with a few friends, a few seats away from me, to watch the next game, acting just like an ordinary fan," Mauz said. "Her modesty is the real deal."

Mauz, who has seen the likes of former prep greats Nani Cockett (Kamehameha), Brandy Richardson (Kalaheo), Galdeira and so many more over the years, says Molina is simply the best.

"She deserves to be Player of the Year again this year and I think for the reasons I listed and several more, she is the all-time greatest," Mauz said.

Leilehua coach Elroy Dumlao agreed.

"She's such a unique player because she plays all around on both sides of the court," Dumlao said. "I think the greatest thing about her is her knowledge of the game and her leadership and I think that's why she will do well at the next level. I was really impressed with her leadership and poise in the state final. She kept them together, there was a lot of talking and that's communication."

Mililani coach Pat Basilio has faced Molina numerous times over the years, both in the preseason and postseason.

"I think what makes her so great is her ability to make everybody around her better," Basilio said. "She's probably one of the highest-scoring players in the state, but it's not by volume shooting. She's so efficient playing the game. She's got to be at least one of the top three players to ever come out of the state of Hawaii."

Kaiser coach Simon Bitanga echoed the thoughts of his colleagues.

"She's just so strong, so mature, so humble ... basically everything you want in a player and then some," Bitanga said. "Every year she's matured and gotten better in every aspect of the game. She's just an elite player that wanted to win and learn and that's what she did. She doesn't do it by hogging the ball or trying to be the man, she does it because she wants to win and that's how good she is."

Molina, true to form, credited those around her for her growth over the years.

"It's been an amazing four years," said Molina, who is signed to play for Washington State University. "Being able to get coached by these coaches — aunty Bobbie, (assistant coach) Jess (Hanato), the boys basketball coaches came to help us practice — just being able to be coached by them was amazing. They taught me a lot about the game and how to be smart and how to be composed, how to be humble, so a lot of life lessons that go along with that."

Awa said Molina's impact on the Wildcats' program is immeasurable.

"Chanelle is an amazing person and an amazing player and we're definitely going to miss her," Awa said. "How she grew from her freshman year to being a leader her senior year and even in between she was trying to step up and be that leader, but to guide this team and to work on her younger sisters and just push the team was just tremendous. I'm going to miss her. She's an amazing person."

While Molina's prep career is now over and done with, it surely won't be the last we hear from her.