The closest thing we’ve seen all year to vintage powerhouse Konawaena basketball came Wednesday night in Waimea.
Kaliana Salazar-Harrell and Braelyn Kauhi scored 22 points apiece as the Kona Stingrays beat Hawaii Prep 69-38 in a high schools girls basketball game.
Salazar-Harrell was an all-BIIF guard as a sophomore last season as the Wildcats claimed their 11th BIIF Division I title in 12 seasons and reached the HHSAA title game. Kauhi is sophomore.
Juliana Watson added 10 points for Kona, which raced out to a 33-13 lead at halftime.
The Stingrays are a club team that coach Bobbie Awa has used as a feeder system to power Konawaena girls basketball to nine state titles since 2004. Awa and her daughter, Dawnyelle Awa, the co-coaches of the Wildcats, were on the bench Wednesday night.
With 15 points, freshman Brooke Samura scored in double figures for Ka Makani (2-1) for the third time in three games during a modified winter season that is being hosted by HPA and Kamehameha. Tiffany Bento also reached double figures with 10 points. Samura went for 24 points Saturday in a 65-15 victory against Christian Liberty, and she’s averaging just under 20 points a game.
On Thursday, the Kona Stingrays visit Hawaii Prep in boys action, and Kamehameha hosts Christian Liberty in a girls game.