There were many candidates for Division I and Division II Player of the Year in Big Island Interscholastic Federation boys basketball this season.
In the end, the awards went to Hilo’s top scorer and Kohala’s fearless floor general.
Hilo senior Jalen Carvalho and Kohala junior Kealen Figueroa, snagged the top individual award in their respective divisions, based on voting by the league’s head coaches. The awards were announced earlier this week by BIIF basketball coordinator Kalei Namohala, who serves as Ka`u High School’s director of athletics.
Carvalho averaged 28 points per game and was his team’s top outside shooter, hitting just under 39 percent of his shots from outside the arc. He also led his team in rebounds (8.8) and assists (3.1) per contest. In league play, his scoring high was 36 points against Kealakehe in the final game of the regular season.
Hilo finished the season with a 14-12 record.
Kohala guard Kealan Figueroa drives to the basket during a non-league game against Honoka`a. Photo credit: Rick Ogata.
Figueroa, who idolizes former Kohala point guard Brandon Bautista, was solid in multiple facets of the game. The Cowboys’ point guard averaged 14 points, four rebounds, five steals, and five assists for the league champion in Division II.
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Kohala finished in fourth place in the Hawaiian Airlines / Hawai`i High School Athletic Association Division II State Championships, held on Oahu. Figueroa averaged 11.3 points per game during the three day tournament.
Figueroa’s coach, Don Fernandez, was named Co-Coach of the Year in Division II, along with Hawai`i Preparatory Academy co-coaches Fred Wawner and Dave Huntington.
“I’m just surprised,” said Fernandez after being told of the award. “All of the credit goes to these boys and my assistant coaches.”
Kohala finished 15-11 overall. Hawai`i Prep, under Wawner and Huntington’s leadership, recovered from its league championship loss to the Cowboys to win the Division II state championship, finishing with a 20-7 record.
Veteran Konawaena coach Donny Awa took home the Division I Coach of the Year award. The Wildcats defeated Waiakea to win the Division I league championship and took fifth place in the Division I state tournament. The Wildcats finished the year with a 21-5 record.
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Per league voting procedures, coaches nominated prospective student-athletes from their own teams. Players that got the most votes were placed on the First Team in each division. Anyone else who received a vote was placed on the Honorable Mention list,
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