[ HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ]
Kamehameha hopes It only takes a stroll through the lobby of Kekuhaupio Gym to remind members of the Kamehameha girls basketball team of the legacy it strives to uphold.
to live up to
rich tradition
The Warriors bounced back from
early season struggles to earn
the state tourney's top seedBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comSeven state championship trophies line a crowded glass case, more than any other school in the state.
But despite the program's past triumphs, this year's Warriors haven't exactly strutted through the season surrounded by an air of invincibility.
The Warriors took awhile to find their identity as a team and were humbled by an early season loss to Punahou. But they recovered to sweep through the second half of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu schedule and defeated the Buffanblu twice in a 10-day span to claim the league title and the top seed in this week's state tournament.
"From the beginning, working on our confidence has been a project," Kamehameha coach Clay Cockett said. "And leading up to the second half of the season it was a matter of believing in each other and in themselves as individuals, and with that their confidence has grown."
The Hawaiian Airlines Girls State Basketball Championship opens tomorrow with four games at the Stan Sheriff Center, starting at 3 p.m.
The top four seeds have byes into Wednesday's quarterfinals. The tournament continues with semifinals Thursday and the final round Friday.
Kamehameha, Kalaheo, Konawaena and Baldwin are the tournament's seeded teams.
Kamehameha (12-1) is seeking its eighth state title and the 22nd in 26 years for the ILH.
The Warriors will be well-rested after more than a week off since clinching the ILH championship and will take on either Waiakea (10-4) or Moanalua (10-4) in Wednesday's quarterfinals.
Kamehameha earned its place atop the state field with rugged defense and patient offense. Megan Ching leads a balanced offensive attack, while guard Lehua Wood is a defensive demon.
"One of our concerns was to play smart first and then play hard," Cockett said. "We were turning the ball over too many times in the preseason and early in the regular season. But we've cut down on the turnovers and we're playing better as a result."
Kalaheo (11-2) won its fifth consecutive Oahu Interscholastic Association championship Friday and is seeking its first state title. The Mustangs have reached the state semifinals each of the last five years, finishing second in their last two tournament appearances.
Kalaheo plays the winner of tomorrow's game between Lahainaluna (11-3) and Iolani (9-7).
Konawaena (13-0) will try to win the Big Island's first state crown since Waiakea's back-to-back titles in 1985 and '86. The Wildcats open against either Punahou (11-2) or Pearl City (10-3).
Konawaena has just two seniors on its roster and is led by sophomore forward Nancy Hoist, who scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a 53-47 win over Waiakea in Friday's Big Island Interscholastic Federation championship game.
Baldwin won the Maui Interscholastic League with a 13-1 record and faces Kahuku (10-3) or Kapaa (7-1), the Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion, on Wednesday.
Boys golf tees off: Waiakea begins its quest for a fifth consecutive state title when the David S. Ishii Boys State Golf Championship opens tomorrow at Leilehua Golf Course.
The 36-hole event starts at 7 a.m. tomorrow and Wednesday.
This year's tournament marks the first time the championship will be decided on Oahu since 1981, when it was held at Ala Wai Golf Course.
Waiakea is led by defending state individual champion Jarett Hamamoto and last year's state runner-up Gabriel Wilson.
Hamamoto edged Wilson by two strokes in last year's state final, but Wilson enters this year's tournament as the BIIF champion with a season average of 70.3.
Kamehameha is also a contender for the team title, led by ILH champion Christian Akau. He posted the lowest scoring average in the 120-player field at 68.2. Kamehameha's top four entrants all have averages of 72 or better.
Other league champions are Kapaa's Justin Thomas (KIF, 71.1), St. Anthony's Chaz Inouye (MIL, 72) and Moanalua's Arnold Sano (75).
Aside from Akau, the only player in the tournament with a sub-70 average is Waianae's Earl Medeiros (69).
A Waiakea win would give the school a sweep of the state golf titles. The Warrior girls team ran away with the championship Friday, with Leah Whiting and Amanda Wilson claiming the top two spots.
All games at Stan Sherrif Center Hawaiian Airlines Girls State Basketball Championship
Tomorrow
Kahuku vs. Kapaa, 3 p.m.
Lahainaluna vs. Iolani, 4:30 p.m.
Waiakea vs. Moanalua, 6 p.m.
Punahou vs. Pearl City, 7:30 p.m.Wednesday
Waiakea/Moanalua loser vs. Kahuku/Kapaa loser, 2 p.m.
Kahuku/Kapaa winner vs. Baldwin, 3:30 p.m.
Waiakea/Moanalua winner vs. Kamehameha, 5 p.m.
Punahou/Pearl City winner vs. Konawaena, 6:30 p.m.
Lahainaluna/Iolani winner vs. Kalaheo, 8 p.m.THURSDAY
Lahainaluna/Iolani loser vs. Punahou/Pearl City loser, 2 p.m.
Quarterfinal losers, 3:30 and 5 p.m.
Quarterfinal winners, 6:30 and 8 p.m.Friday
Consolation championship, 3 p.m.
Fifth-place game, 4:30 p.m.
Third-place game, 6 p.m.
Championship game, 8:05 p.m.
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