The Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) recently released its All-League teams for the 2025-26 season.
Division-II state champion Kohala led the boys selections, as guard Layden Kauka was named BIIF Division II Player of the Year for his senior heroics as the leader of the Cowboys. The three-time state champion averaged 27.5 points per game in the conference, including a 42-point outburst against North Hawaii rival Hawaii Preparatory Academy on Jan. 20.
In the DII island championship against Pahoa, Kauka scored a game-high 31 points, hauled in six rebounds, dished out seven assists and swiped for three steals in the 77-48 win.
Kauka will continue his Big Island basketball journey this fall, as he is committed to play for the University of Hawaii-Hilo.
Kohala head coach Kihei Kapeliela was named DII Coach of the Year after leading the Cowboys to their second undefeated conference season in three years (22-2 overall, 12-0 BIIF). The Cowboys averaged 72 points per game while allowing under 38 in island play.
Kapeliela announced earlier this week that he will be stepping down as head coach of Kohala. After six seasons at the helm of the Cowboys, Kapeliela delivered four Division-II state championships to North Hawaii (2020, 2023, 2024, 2026). More information will be available later this week.
Kauka’s teammate — senior big man Estavon Morales — was named to BIIF DII’s First Team. Morales was a scrappy, talented player that did a majority of the dirty work for the black and gold, whether that was rebounding, playing defense or scoring in their speedy transition offense. Morales averaged 7.6 points per game, including a season-best 18 points against his former school Kealakehe on Jan. 5. Against the Daggers for the island crown, Morales added 11 points.
BIIF DII runner-up Pahoa was led by sophomore guard Kyran Canete, who was named to the first team. Canete was a natural-born scorer for the Daggers, averaging nearly 27 points per game. He scored a season-high 40 points against Honoka‘a in the island semifinals in early February. Against Kohala in the championship game, Canete dropped 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting.
In the state tournament, the Pahoa star averaged 34.6 points per game through three games, consolation tournament included. The Daggers finished the year 6-4 in the BIIF.
Honoka‘a guard Kukia Tagabi was also named to the DII team after putting up an impressive senior campaign, averaging 22.4 points per game on the island. Tagabi scored over 25 points four times, including a season-high 38 points against Pahoa in Dec. 2025. He scored 21 against Pahoa in the BIIF semifinals.
The Dragons finished the season 8-6 against the BIIF.
HPA guard Kingdon Simmons represented Ka Makani on the first team, as the senior spent the year as the lead scorer and swingman for the 9-9 red and white. Simmons averaged 15.3 points per game in his final season, including a 29-point performance against Honoka‘a on Jan. 24.
Rounding out the DII First Team was Ka‘u’s Excel Bonoan, who led the Trojans to a 6-3 league record. The sophomore guard scored a season-high 30 points against Honoka‘a on Jan. 9. He additionally dropped 29 points against Parker on Jan. 14.
Huihui leads Division I
Kawohi Huihui heralded the Division-I All-League team, as the senior guard was named BIIF DI Player of the Year after helping lead Kamehameha-Hawaii to an 11-3 league record and state tournament appearance. Huihui averaged 17.1 points per game, scoring over 20 points eight times — including a season-high 30 points against Waiakea on Jan. 23.
Huihui helped lead the Warriors all the way to the BIIF DI title game, but fell in a close 57-56 battle to Konawaena. Huihui dropped 18 points in the contest.
KSH then fell to Iolani in the opening round of the state tournament.
Huihui’s on-court running mate, fellow senior Kai Kahana-Rowe, was named alongside him on the DI team. The forward was the No. 2 scorer for the Warriors, averaging nearly 12 points per game against the BIIF. He scored a season-high 18 points three times — against Kealakehe twice and Konawaena.
The BIIF Division-I champions in Konawaena also received representation, as freshmen backcourt Nainoa Galletes and Trey Guillermo were named to the team. The pair surprised many for the Wildcats this season, and the team now has two key building blocks for the next few years.
Guillermo averaged 14.1 points per game against the BIIF, leading the team. His saved his best performance of the year for the most important game, as the star dropped a season-best 23 points against Kamehameha in the championship. Guillermo scored in double figures 12 times.
Galletes averaged 12.4 points per game in the BIIF, including a season-best 21 points against Waiakea on Jan. 5.
Wildcats head coach Donnie Awa was named DI Coach of the Year after finishing 9-5 against the BIIF and helping Kona redeem itself against KSH in the island championship from the previous year, where they fell to finish second in the conference.
In the state consolation game against Mililani, Galletes dropped a team-high 17 points.
Kea‘au also had two players named to the first team — junior big man Kaiana Miller and senior guard Rayden Handy. Miller was the Cougars’ top scorer at 14.5 points per game, which included a season-best 26 points against Konawaena on Jan. 3. Handy scored 12 points that same game.
Kea‘au finished the season 5-8 against the BIIF.
Hilo guard Xarren Jose rounded out the rest of the DI team, as the senior averaged 13.5 points per game in the conference for the 8-4 Vikings (8-6 overall). Hilo lost to Kona in the BIIF DI semis.
One of Jose’s premier performances was against Waiakea in late January, when he scored a game-high 20 points.
See Friday’s paper to read about the 2025-26 All-BIIF girls basketball teams.
Honorable mentions
Division I
• Hilo: Jason Birrueta, Shayston Iyo, Phillip Birrueta
• Konawaena: Joven Young, Dylan Nonaka
• KSH: Kolten Tabuyo-Kahele, Kane Kyota
• Kealakehe: Siosaia Ramirez-Maasi, Kamalu Pabre, Isaac Cho
• Kea‘au: William Kirklin
• Waiakea: Jayzen Hough, Aiden Moszkowicz
Division II
• Kohala: James Wong, Dillon Oandasan
• Pahoa: Riquezen Abadilla, Joefrey Trez Canete
• HPA: Micah Yamasaki, Max Aiona
• Honoka‘a: Waimanu O’Neil, John Carlo Juan
• Ka‘u: Daeten Castillo, Daelan Castillo
• Parker: Liam Ticarro, Benjamin Dworkin
• CLA: Isaiah Brooks