Molina, Fernandez Named Top Players in BIIF Girls Hoops

Konawaena sophomore Chanelle Molina and Honoka`a senior Chancis Fernandez took home Player of the Year honors in Division I and Division II, respectively, during voting for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation girls basketball all-league teams.

Molina, who has already received a scholarship offer from the University of Hawai`i, was the standout force for the Division I league champion Wildcats. In the BIIF Division I championship game against Hilo, Molina hit the game-winning free throws in the final minute to lead Konawaena to the win. She scored just 13 points in the game, but grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds.

In the Wildcats’ season finale, a 54-51 loss to Mililani in the Hawaiian Airlines / Hawai`i High School Athletic Association Division I Girls Basketball regional final, Molina scored 27 points and dished out four assists.

Fernandez, the older sister of teammate Eliyah Fernandez, was also named to the Hawaiian Airlines / HHSAA Division II Girls Basketball All-Tournament team after leading the Dragons to its first state championship victory. She averaged just eight points per game in the tournament, but scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in the title game against Kamehameha-Hawai`i.

Fernandez played one season at Honoka`a after transferring from Hawai`i Preparatory Academy.

Both championship coaches earned top honors in their respective divisions. Konawaena coach Bobbie Awa earned the Division I Coach of the Year award after pushing the Wildcats to its sixth consecutive league title. Konawaena finished the 2013-2014 season with a 24-4 overall record.

Daphne Honma, in her first season back at the helm of the Honoka`a girls basketball program, was named Division II Coach of the Year. Honma was an assistant coach with the boys program last season, and prior to that, was the head coach at the University of Hawai`i at Hilo. The Dragons went 26-10 overall en route to its first ever state title.

Per league procedures, Division I coaches voted on first-team selections only, since less than seven teams make up the division. With seven teams in Division II, coaches voted on first-and-second team selections. Players who received one vote but did not make a team were named to the Honorable Mention list.

BIIF Girls Basketball All-League Awards

Division I First Team

Chanelle Molina (Konawaena)

Aliyah Pana (Hilo)

Alexis Pana (Hilo)

Sharlei Graham-Bernisto (Hilo)

Mercedes “Ihi” Victor (Konawaena)

Division I Honorable Mention

Shalyn Guthier (Hilo)

Shaila Apele (Waiakea)

Taylor Pocock (Kea`au)

Kaydee Rapozo (Waiakea)

Celena Molina (Konawaena)

Jasmine Perea (Konawaena)

Kaily Harris (Hilo)

Ashlyn Cabatbat (Kealakehe)

Birolena Vaoga (Kea`au)

Zoe Acdal (Konawaena)

Aina Padasdao (Kea`au)

Angelina DeSagun (Kealakehe)

Player of the Year: Chanelle Molina (Konawaena)

Coach of the Year: Bobbie Awa (Konawaena)

Division II First Team

Chancis Fernandez (Honoka`a)

Hunter Liftee (Honoka`a)

Shemika Frazier (Honoka`a)

Casey Poe (Kamehameha-Hawai`i)

Riana Arima (Kamehameha-Hawai`i)

Tiana Bertelman-Tabac (Hawai`i Prep)

Division II Second Team

Tezrah Antonio (Kohala)

Ula Brostek (Hawai`i Prep)

Makamae Gabriel (Kamehameha-Hawai`i)

Denisha Navarro (Ka`u)

Shayla Ignacio (Honoka`a)

Naai Solomon-Lewis (Kohala)

Division II Honorable Mention

Hauoli Sproat-Lancaster (Kohala)

Eliyah Fernandez (Honoka`a)

Erleen Oguma (Pahoa)

Vanessa Castro (Pahoa)

Caitlyn Poe (Kamehameha-Hawai`i)

Kiera Kua-Ramirez (Kamehameha-Hawai`i)

Sky Kanakaole-Esperon (Ka`u)

Briana Harrison (Kohala)

Player of the Year: Chancis Fernandez (Honoka`a)

Coach of the Year: Daphne Honma (Honoka`a)