So exactly how many basketball players does it take to win a state championship? Last year Konawaena managed to bring the HHSAA Division I title to Kealakekua with only 10 players, barely enough to sub out everyone on the floor.
So exactly how many basketball players does it take to win a state championship? Last year Konawaena managed to bring the HHSAA Division I title to Kealakekua with only 10 players, barely enough to sub out everyone on the floor.
This year, if the Wildcats hope to repeat as state champions, they will have to beat the top teams in the state with a team comprised of only eight players. While winning with so few will be a daunting task, the keys to winning are simple: avoid injuries at all cost, and be in better shape than the other team.
Led by the Molina trinity, Konawaena hopes to pull off their own “Hoosiers” moment this season and be that small team from Hickory — or in this case Kealakekua — that can compete and beat any team they come across, regardless of how badly they are outnumbered.
“Everyone is going to have depth on us,” said Konawaena assistant coach Jessica Hanato. “Last year we had 10, so even if everyone is having a bad night we could just rotate in. But this year I think we have more coaches sitting on the bench than players.”
Despite the numbers, the Wildcats have already proven to be dominant.
Konawaena has already reeled off six straight victories and none of the scores have been particularly close. In the Kaiser tournament, they defeated the host school 65-28, Iolani 65-31 and Punahou 68-40.
In their own Konawaena Invitational last weekend, the Wildcats went 3-0, which included wins against BIIF opponents Honokaa (67-18), who won the HHSAA Division II title last year, and Kamehameha (75-30). However, the most notable win of the preseason came in the second game of the tournament against Lahainaluna.
In a rematch of the 2014-15 title game, Konawaena dominated from start to finish, jumping out to a 17-2 lead in the first quarter and going on to win 59-31.
The key to the early season success this year has been the Wildcats’ defense. Most of the points scored by Konawaena in the championship rematch last Friday came off defensive plays. The defense was so dominating in the first half that the Lunas struggled to move the ball past the 3-point line.
“Last year in the state finals Lahainaluna really killed us underneath (the basket),” Hanato said after the game. “I was not expecting how well we played on defense, but they kept the intensity up and limited the second shots.”
While Konawaena may be few in numbers this year, in team chemistry they are off the charts and this can be directly contributed to the Molina sisters, because who would know each other’s strengths and weaknesses more than family.
Senior five-star recruit Chanelle Molina —a Washington State commit and consensus pick as the best player in the state — will once again be expected to lead the team on and off the court. Chanelle has been the team’s leading scorer and a floor general nearly her entire time as a Wildcat.
“Chanelle brings a lot of experience and it is nice to see her grow into a more vocal leadership position,” Hanato said. “As a freshman, I would have never anticipated her being the leader she is now. She is taking the girls under her wing and directing them.”
Junior Celena Molina, is also a scoring threat, but it is the things that most people in the stands do not notice that makes her extremely valuable to the team.
“Celena does the things that most people who are not basketball players or coaches might not appreciate,” Hanato said. “She is boxing out, tipping the ball to her teammates, plugging holes in the defense and keeping the ball alive. She is very much a presence in there for us on defense and on offense she creates a lot of scoring opportunities with her movement.”
Sophomore Cherilyn Molina has stepped up her play this preseason and is a threat to score in double-digits, already accomplishing this several times in the preseason. She, along with another sophomore starter, Mikayla Tablit, will help lighten the load for Chanelle Molina this season.
“This is not two years ago when it was just Chanelle,” Hanato said. “Both Cherilyn and Mikayla can handle the ball and that frees up Chanelle to run the floor and get easy buckets.”
The Molina sisters and Tablit are joined in the starting rotation by returning starter Mercedes “Ihi” Victor. Victor is also a scoring threat. She posted a game high 16 points against Honokaa on Thursday and she provides a dominating presence in the paint. This year Victor is also ready to make a statement.
“Ihi is out to make it known that she doesn’t play behind Chanelle, she plays with Chanelle,” Hanato said. “To have a big girl who can run the floor and be inside and outside is important to us.”
Coming off the bench this season will be senior transfer Jenny Fong, junior Mahie Kaawa and freshman Tanniya Uchida.
Fong comes in from Kohala High School and will give the team some spot shooting early on. Kaawa has been coming off the bench for Konawaena the last two seasons. Uchida has provided the team with some fourth quarter scoring during preseason and can hit shots from behind the 3-point line.
“The fourth quarter is when Tanniya seems to be getting comfortable and she is catching her stride,” Hanato said. “She can play and has grown up through our Stingrays program.”
The Wildcats have won 80 straight BIIF games and have captured the last seven BIIF championships. They have not lost a league game since falling to Waiakea in the 2008 title game.
Konawaena is currently preparing for the Iolani Classic. Last season at the prestigious tourney, the Wildcats garnered national attention when they defeated Miramonte in the opening round and then followed that up by taking down the nation’s No. 17 ranked team, Riverdale Baptist. Chanelle Molina had 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in that game.
While the national attention opened many doors for the Wildcats, including an invitation to play in the prestigious Title IX Classic in Washington D.C. later this month, Hanato says the team does not really think about the attention they have gained.
“Playing for (Konawaena head coach) Bobbie (Awa), all the media attention is really a non-factor,” Hanato said. “We are just focusing on what we are doing and what we can do to get better.”
The Iolani Classic starts Thursday. Konawaena will face Mililani in the opening round at 3:30 p.m.
