Top-ranked Punahou
is top seed

The nature of a 12-team format is never kind to everyone, especially in the Hawaiian Airlines Girls State Basketball Championships.

That's why Kaiser coach Lisa Mann doesn't envy the Kahuku Lady Raiders. The Oahu Interscholastic Association champions have a first-round bye, but could face powerful Iolani in Wednesday's quarterfinal round.

If Iolani gets past Farrington tomorrow, the Star-Bulletin Top 10's No. 3 and 4 teams will meet.

"I'd much rather be where I am now," Mann admitted. "If Iolani can beat Farrington, I think it's a little unfortunate that it's that kind of matchup so early in the tournament. Two of the higher-seeded teams meeting that early."

It wouldn't be a whole lot different than the scenario of recent years, however, when highly ranked teams met early in the tournament. And the Iolani-Farrington matchup is far from being a formality. The Lady Governors defeated Iolani in March.

As expected, Punahou drew the No. 1 seed from the Hawaii High School Athletic Association committee. The Buffanblu went unbeaten in league play and had six wins against Top 10 teams in nonconference play, including victories over Konawaena and Kahuku.

Defending state champion Konawaena had another perfect mark in BIIF play, capping a four-year record of 53-0 in the league. The Wildcats are seeded second.

Kahuku is the third seed and Maui Interscholastic League champion Lahainaluna is the fourth seed.

Mann's Lady Cougars open tomorrow against Honokaa at 6 p.m. in a matchup of runners-up from the Oahu Interscholastic Association and Big Island Interscholastic Federation.

In other openers, Kauai meets Roosevelt at 2 p.m., Baldwin faces Kalaheo at 4:15, and Farrington battles Iolani at 8.

Because the OIA has five entries -- one more than last year -- and tournament rules prohibit same-league matchups on the first day, each first-round game features an OIA team (only one team from a league can be seeded).

Two-time OIA champion Kahuku has a bye tomorrow, but will face the Iolani-Farrington winner. Iolani nearly upset the state's season-long No. 1 team, Punahou, during Interscholastic League of Honolulu play.

In the Division II pairings, Saint Francis plays Seabury Hall on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. In the following game at 4:15, ninth-ranked Kamehameha-Hawaii faces Kalani.

HHSAA girls basketball

At Stan Sheriff Center

Division I
Seeds: 1. Punahou. 2. Konawaena. 3. Kahuku. 4. Lahainaluna.
Tomorrow
Game 1: Kauai vs. Roosevelt, 2:30 p.m.
2: Baldwin vs. Kalaheo, 4:15 p.m.
3: Kaiser vs. Honoka'a, 6 p.m.
4: Iolani vs. Farrington, 8 p.m.
Wednesday
5: Losers of Games 1 & 3, 11 a.m.
6: Losers of Games 2 & 4, 12:45 p.m.
7: Lahainaluna vs. Winner of Game 3, 2:30 p.m.
8: Punahou vs. Winner of Game 1, 4:15 p.m.
9: Konawaena vs. Winner of Game 2, 6 p.m.
10: Kahuku vs. Winner of Game 4, 8 p.m.
Thursday
11: Losers of Games 8 & 7, 11 a.m.
12: Losers of Games 9 & 10, 12:45 p.m.
13: Winners of Games 9 & 10, 6 p.m.
14: Winners of Games 8 & 7, 8 p.m.
Friday
15: Winners of Games 5 & 6, 12:45 p.m.
16: Winners of Games 11 & 12, 2:30 p.m.
17: Losers of Games 13 & 14, 4 p.m.
18: Winners of Games 13 & 14, 8 p.m.

Division II
thursday
Game 1: Saint Francis vs. Seabury Hall, 2:30 p.m.
2: Kamehameha-Hawaii vs. Kalani, 4:15 p.m.
Friday
3: Losers of Games 1 & 2, 11 a.m.
4: Winners of Games 1 & 2, 6 p.m.