Prep Game Of The Week – 2/11/15

WINTER SPORTS
GIRLS BASKETBALL
HHSAA STATE TOURNAMENT
FEB. 10-13, 2015
@ STAN SHERIFF CENTER

Chris Hart

Konawaena has been unstoppable this year, but anything can happen come tournament time! This year the field is stacked. Besides the Wildcats, you have to look out for Mililani, Lahainaluna, Maryknoll, Hilo and a few other contenders. But I smell an upset. I’m going with the ladies of Roosevelt! Great athletes have come out of Roosevelt, including Chad Owens, Clarissa Chun, Mike Lum, Matt Apana and Larry Price. You can add to the list 5-foot-4 guard Starr Rivera, who is a fabulous athlete. Winning a state championship would add to her legacy. Rivera averages 18 points a game in league play and is a great all-around player at this level. In fact, Roosevelt’s only two losses came at the hands of Mainland schools in the Iolani Classic. If anyone keys too much on Rivera, then look to Keala Quinlan (14 ppg) for the hot hand. Call me crazy, but I see the red and gold winning it all!

Gary Dickman

Chris, Chris, Chris. Even for you, this is quite a reach. Yes, upsets happen, but this is like winning slots in Las Vegas: It’s a longshot at best. I agree that there are some talented teams in Hawaii. But this season there’s one dominant program above all others, and that’s the Konawaena Wildcats. Head coach Bobbie Awa has done a fantastic job keeping the Cats on top for more than 15 years. She’s won multiple state titles, and this year’s team might be her best. Konawaena has beaten two top 15 nationally ranked teams. They finished the regular season at 23-1, losing only to a top 10 nationally ranked team. They won their last game, 94-5. The players to watch as they continue to win are the three Molina sisters: Chanelle, Celena and Cherilyn, who all should be first-team all-state and will play at the Division I level in college. Aloha Salem had 46 points and 14 three-pointers in one game! It’s almost not fair. I predict Konawaena will beat Roosevelt in the state title game.

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