KEAAU – The question was asked all around by BIIF coaches, “Have you seen Konawaena?”
The Wildcats didn’t play in any of the Hilo preseason tournaments: Waiakea-Keaau Invitational, St. Joseph Cardinal Classic, or the Hilo High Holiday Prep Classic.
Earlier in the month, they played on the Garden Isle and beat Waimea, Maui’s King Kekaulike, Kapaa, and Kauai. The KIF’s Menehune, Warriors, and Red Raiders aren’t known for hoops; the island is better at football. The MIL’s Na Alii often finish behind Lahainaluna and Baldwin in the Division I race.
Last week, Konawaena traveled to the Valley Isle and defeated Kamehameha-Maui and Kapaa and lost to a Canadian slam-dunking ballclub that featured one player who was 6-10 and a few others at 6-2.
Everyone around the league knows that the two-time BIIF Division I runner-up ’Cats return a pair of key seniors in point guard Austin Ewing and sharp-shooting forward Hauoli Akau, but the rest of the team remains a mystery.
Well, there was a Wildcat sighting on Tuesday night, and they looked pretty good in disassembling Keaau 71-55 in a BIIF Division I showdown at the Cougars Gym, where they overcome a 35-24 halftime deficit
By tradition, Konawaena usually runs and guns its way to victory. But the 3-ball was the weapon of choice, and for coach Donny Awa, who’s always concerned about his team’s outside shooting, it was a wonderful feeling to see so many swished 3-pointers.
Akau drilled three triples and had 18 points, freshman Bronson Rivera had 13 points, Paka Cacoulidis added 10 points for Konawaena (1-0), which shot 50 percent (25 of 50) from the field, including 9 of 17 from long range.
Rico Handy scored 29 points, sinking 13 of 16 free throws, for 29 points, and Patrick Mears added nine points for the Cougars (0-1), who buried 38 percent (16 of 42) from the floor, including 3 of 11 from beyond the arc.
In the first half, Handy scored 19 points, drilling a pair of triples, and did what he does best: tagging fouls on foes and making free throws. He went 7 of 8 from the line.
But in the second half, the Cougars ran in a North Pole cold streak. They hit just 6 of 20 field goals and were outscored 25-6 in the fourth quarter.
Last season, Konawaena eliminated Keaau 63-53 in the BIIF semifinals, relying on a big third-quarter scoring spurt, 22-4. It was the Cougars’ first trip to the postseason since 2009.
The Wildcats are annual BIIF title contenders and have reached the HHSAA tournament the last five years. They’ve got a built-in feeder program/farm system with the Stingray club team, coach by Donny and Bobbie Awa.
After the graduation of three starters, the leadership roles fall to Ewing and Akau. Both will be needed to provide outside shooting and perimeter defense.
“This season I’ve got two returning four-year starters, Austin and Hauoli,” coach Donny Awa said. “I’m counting on them to not only be my best players but also leaders. Freshman Bronson Rivera is someone I’m excited about with returnees Aina Alip and Aaron Domogma.
“They’re joined by last year’s junior varsity players Aldrin Gadot and Seth Mattos. I have a nice group of guards who can get after it defensively, and they can all score. Jayden Kuoha-Basque will be on the inside. He’s our only post player.”
Cacoulidis, a 5-9 senior forward, has returned to the team. He decided to concentrate on football last season. He provides a tough, inside presence and an outlet passer for the sideline runners.
Kuoha-Basque, a 6-0 forward, can be considered the lone big. The Wildcats will look to him for steady inside play from the paint, either grabbing offensive boards or stopping dribble-penetration.
“We’ve got a lot of veterans, seven seniors,” Awa said. “We’re smaller than last year but really fast, and we can play fast. We’ve got more than enough size for the Big Island. I’m still a little worried about our outside shooting, but we can score around the basket and attack the rim. Paka has a combination of quickness and strength. He gives us an interior score and is good around the basket.
“We’ve got three or four guards who can get in front of people for the length of the floor. Everyone on the team is athletic. We’ve got the pieces to be a good defensive team.”
When the Wildcats were on Kauai, the football players (Ewing, Cacoulidis, Seau Amor) didn’t go. That gave Akau an opportunity to lead the team. And he delivered.
“On Kauai, Hauoli carried us,” Awa said. “He did a good job attacking and finishing.”
Awa also likes the potential of Rivera, a 6-2 freshman potential force. He’s long and lanky, can shoot the 3 and score inside. He’s got good court vision and makes sharp passes, too. As a defender, he moves his feet and defends with fire.
“He’s tall and athletic and works really hard,” Awa said. “He could start right now, but I’m bringing him off the bench. On Maui, he was our best rebounder. He was cleaning the defensive boards.”
When someone is securing rebounds and making outlet passes, the Wildcats can run up and down the court and look just like themselves. But for a BIIF season-opening victory, they looked like a different team — a versatile one that could run and score and also drain balls from deep.
In the junior varsity game, it was Keaau 58, Konawaena 35.
In other boys games: Kamehameha beat Pahoa 65-41 and Hilo downed Ka’u 84-50.