For Konawaena High School basketball player Chanelle Molina, after season awards for her outstanding player every year is becoming the norm. On March 10, the Wildcat phenom was named the Gatorade Hawaii Girls Basketball Player of the Year. ADVERTISING For
For Konawaena High School basketball player Chanelle Molina, after season awards for her outstanding player every year is becoming the norm. On March 10, the Wildcat phenom was named the Gatorade Hawaii Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
The Gatorade Hawaii Girls Player of the Year award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court.
Being honored with the award recognizes Molina as the best girls basketball player in Hawaii, and she will move on as a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award, which will be announced later this month.
Molina joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Candace Parker, Maya Moore and Lisa Leslie.
The 5-foot-7 senior guard led the Wildcats to a 26-1 record and their second straight Division I state title this past season. Molina averaged 19 points, eight rebounds and 7.6 assists per game, including a 24-point explosion during a 44-34 win over Maryknoll in the state championship game.
The state’s two-time returning Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Molina is a four-time Big Island Interscholastic Federation Player of the Year.
Despite competing in sports year round, Molina has maintained a 3.45 GPA in the classroom. She has also volunteered locally on behalf of the Women’s Basketball Coaching Association’s Pink Zone initiative to promote breast cancer awareness and as part of an elementary school literacy-outreach initiative.
Molina has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Washington State University this fall.
Previous winners of the Gatorade Hawaii Girls Basketball Players of the Year award include Aliyah Pana (2012-13, Hilo High School), Dawnyelle Awa (2011-12, Konawaena High School), Maiki Viela (2010-11 &2009-10, Lahainaluna High School), Kanisha Bello (2008-09, Waiakea High School), Jamie Smith (2007-08, Iolani School) and Shawna-Lei Kuehu (2006–07, Punahou High School).
