Hawaii Prep again watched Kamehameha be its own worst enemy with too many turnovers, and was good enough in its own right to be in championship form.
Ka Makani beat the Warriors 31-28 to capture the BIIF Division II girls basketball crown on Wednesday at Hilo Civic.
Brooke Samura scored 12 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and Kyana Brucelas added nine points and eight rebounds for Ka Makani, who shot 23%, including 0 of 6 from 3-point range and made 5 of 12 free throws. HPA won its first title since 2019, Brucelas’ freshman season.
Kamehameha was sloppy with its ball-handling and finished with 24 turnovers and only three assists, often looking stagnant on offense.
HPA was only slightly better with 19 turnovers and four assists and moved better without the ball to generate open shots.
Keanu Huihui scored 12 points, hitting 8 of 15 free throws, Sarah Schubert added 12 points, and Maela Honma had six points for the Warriors, who shot 22%, including 1 of 5 from long distance and made 11 of 19 free throws.
The Warriors had a chance to take the lead with 20 seconds left with Huihui at the free throw line. But the 5-foot-9 junior forward missed both free throws.
Brucelas scored to push HPA ahead 27-26 with 20.4 seconds left, and Samura scored off a turnover to make it 29-28 with 13.5 seconds to go. Samura scoring off Warrior turnovers was a constant theme.
Huihui drew another foul but missed both free throws.
Ka Makani senior guard Brenna Kiyota was fouled with 1.9 seconds left and sank both free throws for a 31-28 lead.
On Jan. 22, HPA defeated Kamehameha 30-27 at the Warriors gym, behind Samura’s 17 points.
BIIF runner-up Kamehameha (6-4) will play a first-road Division II state tournament game on Wednesday, Feb. 16 on Oahu.
HPA (7-1) will play in the state quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 17 on Oahu.
HPA took advantage of Kamehameha’s butterfinger ball-handling with 10 turnovers and poor shooting, 4 of 22, to bolt to a 19-10 halftime lead.
The Warriors couldn’t guard the 5-foot-9 Brucelas in the post. Whenever she got the ball in the low post, she shot bankers over 5-9 forward Schubert. Brucelas had seven points in the first half while Samura weaved her way for eight points.
Ka Makani kept getting open off screens, took uncontested jump shots and converted a tad better than the Warriors with 9 of 29 shooting.
Huihui led Kamehameha with six points in the first half on 2 of 7 shooting.
Brucelas, a 5-9 senior forward, scored seven points in the first quarter.
HPA led 11-6 after the first quarter, helped by Kamehameha’s five turnovers and 3 for 11 shooting.
In the third quarter, the Warriors went on a 9-0 run to tie it 19-19 with 1:40 remaining.
Ka Makani senior guard Kaila Kaahu beat the defense down the court for a layup and a 21-19 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
Huihui sank 4 of 4 free throws to start the fourth quarter, but HPA responded behind Tiffany Bento’s two free throws and a Samura layup off another Kamehameha turnover to cut the Warriors’ lead to 26-25 with under four minutes.
Brucelas scored and Samura followed with another layup off another Kamehameha turnover to push HPA ahead 29-26 with 13.5 seconds remaining.
Third place
Honokaa 45, Pahoa 28: Kristen Ragasa scored 17 points and Rylee Velazquez added 14 as the Dragons won at home to clinch their first state tournament berth since 2018.
Tawnee Carvalho chipped in with eight for Honokaa (5-4).
Florie Mai Tagabi scored 10 points for the Daggers, whose season ends at 3-8.
