It’s almost noon on Saturday, which means only one thing: girls basketball statewide is in an unusual twist at this moment.
At the Konawaena Invitational Tournament, Campbell upset MIL powerhouse Lahainaluna 43-39 on Thursday. On Friday, Lahainaluna got a clutch 3 from Rachael Balagso to tie the game en route to a stunning 44-42 double-overtime victory over host and defending state champion Konawaena. This is believed to be the first home loss for Konawaena under coach Bobbie Awa in nearly a decade.
Campbell is now 2-0 in the tourney after stifling Honokaa 33-24 on Friday. Another 2-0 team is Hilo, which beat OIA contenders Kaimuki 40-31 and Kahuku 47-40.
Today’s matchups will be intriguing. Hilo can close out the tourney unbeaten by beating Moanalua. Kahuku plays Lahainaluna, Honokaa faces Kaimuki and Konawaena takes on Campbell in the final game of the tourney, which will tip off at roughly 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, at the Orthopedic Associates Sacred Hearts Invitational, big numbers are piling up for some of the state’s top players. Kalina Obrey had 19 points and 21 rebounds in a 65-49 win over BIIF powerhouse Waiakea on Friday in the semifinal round. In the other semi, Sacred Hearts got 29 points from Dallas Martinez in a 68-57 victory over Hawaii Baptist.
Kamehameha will not play in the championship game, however. Rather than play Sacred Hearts, the same team it will meet in ILH Division I play next week, the Warriors have opted to bow out of the final. Instead, Waiakea will play Sacred Hearts for the tournament crown in a 12:30 p.m. game today.
Kamehameha will play Hawaii Baptist, which is in the ILH but plays in D-II, at 2 p.m. Strange, but understandable. ILH D-I teams play each other twice in the regular season, and then there’s the playoff format that often puts competitors against each other for a third, even fourth battle.
This morning, Roosevelt overwhelmed Waipahu 48-29 for seventh place. Kamehameha-Maui and Mililani are playing for fifth place. More updates will be coming here.
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