Girls Basketball Tournament Schedule Set

Ten Big Island girls basketball teams will compete this week for spots in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association / Hawaiian Airlines Girls Basketball Championships in league tournament play beginning Wednesday.

The KTA Super Stores / Big Island Interscholastic Federation Girls Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday with Division II quarterfinal play and concludes Saturday with championship games at Kealakehe High School.

Kamehameha-Hawai`i and Honoka`a earned first round byes in the six-team Division II tournament. At 7-3, Kamehameha-Hawai`i earned wins against Division I foes Kea`au and Waiakea to help earn the East’s top seed. The defending state champions face the winner of the Ka`u / Hawai`i Preparatory Academy contest Friday at 3:00 p.m. The Trojans / Ka Makani game can be heard Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN Radio and ESPNHawaii.com.

The Dragons earned the West top seed with a 6-2 record. Both of their losses were to defending state champion Konawaena, who they won’t have to face again this year. They await the winner of the Kohala / Pahoa quarterfinal at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

The winners of Friday’s semifinal games will play Saturday at 6:00 p.m. for a seeded spot in the state tournament, while the losers play at 4:30 p.m. for the last league spot in the tournament.

The Division I tournament begins Friday night at Kealakehe High School’s Waverider Gymnasium. At 6:00 p.m. winless Kealakehe faces the East top seed Hilo. The Vikings, who are ranked tenth in the Star-Advertiser Top 10 poll, finished the regular season with a 10-0 record. The Waveriders, meanwhile, went 0-8 in BIIF play and 0-18 overall.

The other semifinal features two-time defending state champion Konawaena, who went 8-0 in league play. The West top seed will host East second seed Waiakea at 7:30 p.m. Both semifinal winners will advance to the state tournament, with the league champion gaining a seeded spot in the state tournament.

Both divisional championship games will be aired on ESPN Radio and ESPNHawaii.com Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Division II tournament schedule

Wednesday, January 30 – all games at 7:00 p.m.
West #3 Kohala at East #2 Pahoa
East #3 Ka`u at West #2 Hawai`i Prep

Friday, February 1 – games at Kealakehe High
Ka`u / Hawai`i Prep winner vs. Kamehameha-Hawai`i – 3:00 p.m.
Kohala / Pahoa winner vs. Honoka`a – 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 2 – games at Kealakehe High
Third-place game – 4:30 p.m.
Championship game – 6:00 p.m.

Division I tournament schedule – all games at Kealakehe H.S.

Friday, February 1
West #2 Kealakehe vs. East #1 Hilo – 6:00 p.m.
East #2 Waiakea vs. West #1 Kona – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 2
Championship game – 7:30 p.m.