Keaau High’s girls basketball team hasn’t been able to crack the BIIF’s Big Three this season, but the Cougars did accomplish a feat that’s eluded them in the past.
They got past Kamehameha.
Anela Gonzalez-Tremaine did most of the work offensively, scoring 32 points Saturday night to lift the Cougars past the Warriors 49-42 at Keaau High.
Kiare Kepano scored 10 points to complement Gonzalez-Tremaine’s third 30-plus point game of the season as the Cougars (6-3) held an 18-12 advantage in the fourth quarter to clinch a Division I playoff spot. Keaau finishes the regular-season Thursday at Hawaii Prep, and a seven-win season could be considered a milestone of sorts for the program.
Nique Pacheco led Kamehameha (5-4) with 22 points and Sarah Schubert had 12. The Warriors have lost four in a row, all to D-I teams, but they can clinch the top seed in the D-II tournament with a win Tuesday at Kohala in their regular-season finale.
Konawaena 65, Hawaii Prep 10: Kaliana Salazar-Harrell scored 23 points in Waimea as the Wildcats (9-0) pitched a shutout in the first and third quarters in their tuneup for a showdown against Waiakea on Tuesday.
Maja Burdova scored seven points for Ka Makani (2-5), who are in fourth place in D-II but still could finish as high as the second seed depending on how they fare at the start of a three-game stretch Tuesday vs. Honokaa.
Honokaa 55, Kealakehe 31: Ka’ena Tagabi led three Dragons in double figures with 23 points in a home victory.
Kristen Ragasa scored 19 points and Saige Tabac had 13 for Honokaa (4-4), which won for the third time in four games and can clinch the second seed by beating HPA.
The Waveriders (2-6), who trailed 29-20 at the half, were eliminated from playoff contention.
Hilo 72, Ka’u 7: Jamila Collins-Ebanez led the way with 15 points and three teammates joined her in double figures in the easy home win.
Mindy Kawaha added 14 points, Teijah-Aislyn Rosas-Suenishi 13 and Keani Midel had 11 for Hilo (7-2), which is locked into the third seed in the D-I playoffs.
Grace Smith had four points for the Trojans (0-9).