The game didn’t count, but the Konawaena Wildcats made a loud slam-dunk statement on the basketball court: They’re still head and shoulders above the rest of the BIIF competition.
The Wildcats thumped Waiakea 57-38 in the first round of the Hilo High/Holiday Prep Classic on Thursday at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, where Konawaena’s seasoned team chemistry outdueled the Warriors’ athletic youth.
Behind their old reliables — ball-sharing with extra passes and tough defense without fouling — the Wildcats ripped off scoring runs and made a lion’s share of defensive stops to monopolize the momentum.
Konawaena’s team chemistry starts from the Stingrays club team, and it shows with the discipline and execution that serve as a hammer and nail. The Wildcats can carry out a play, a defensive assignment, or a game plan and get the job done.
If unselfish offense and tough defense are peanut butter and jelly, then discipline and execution are the pieces of bread that hold everything together.
A lot of teams have good team chemistry, but not everyone has all the ingredients for a perfect sandwich, including tenacious half-court defense.
Cherilyn Molina scored 17 points in a variety of ways (3-pointer, putback, layups) to spark the Wildcats, who shot 37 percent from the field, including 8 of 21 from beyond the arc.
Kawena Kaohimaunu added 15 points, including four 3-pointers, Mikayla Tablit had 11 points, including three triples, and Caiyle Kaupu provided an inside presence with eight points.
Kelsie Imai had 13 points and little help to lead the Warriors, who converted 30 percent from the floor, including 2 of 10 from long distance. Off the bench, Bethany Honma added six points and Keighsha Walker had five points while Claire Kaneshiro also scored five points.
The Warriors attacked the Wildcats with a 1-2-2 full-court press and half-court traps but produced only three turnovers. Konawaena often escaped trouble and went right into its press-break offense. The ‘Cats had 19 giveaways but most were from sloppy passes; the Warriors had 20 turnovers.
“It was a good game,” Konawaena co-coach Bobbie Awa said. “They switched back and forth. They pressed us, and when we broke it they went to a man.
“The score wasn’t reflective of how the game was. You want to have good competition. And it was a nice, tough game.”
In the first half, Kaohimaunu drilled three triples, all in opening eight minutes, including a four-point play, which included a converted free throw, that capped a 16-2 run.
Waiakea had a 6-0 mini-run, with four points from the free throw line, in the second quarter. That was its most productive scoring spree of the game. Basically, Konawaena’s half-court offense closed out shooters and offered few open looks.
Despite all the turnovers, Waiakea only outscored Konawaena 2-0 off giveaways. There were a lot of missed shots, which accounted for the low shooting percentage for both teams.
The Warriors went just 9 of 21 from the charity stripe; the Wildcats shot 5 of 10 from the line. Despite frequently fouling, no Wildcat fouled out.
“We wanted to try to get the ball to our play-makers at the elbows and get them in foul trouble,” Waiakea coach Brandon Kauhi said. “We got into the double bonus, but we missed our free throws. We couldn’t get enough steals, and that creates our offense.”
In the third quarter, Konawaena showcased its fundamentally sound play. First, Kaupu dribbled, jump-stopped and soft-touched a shot. A few plays later, Molina ran the press-break offense to perfection. She zipped ahead, passed to Kaohimaunu in the corner and cut to the basket. She got the ball back and banked in a layup for a 46-25 lead with under a minute left.
The Wildcats host the Warriors on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at Ellison Onizuka Gym. That game will count in the BIIF standings.
Kauhi isn’t thinking about that rematch just yet.
“At least we have a game on Friday,” he said. “It’ll be short-term memory loss for us.”
Waiakea battles Hilo at 8 p.m. on Friday at Hilo Civic. No one from the Warriors can forget that the Vikings eliminated them in the BIIF semifinals last season. The game won’t count, but it’s a statement one as well.