Seeding Nearly Complete for BIIF Girls Hoops Tourney

This weekend’s Big Island Interscholastic Federation girls basketball games will complete the final puzzle pieces to next week’s league tournament.

The Division I seeding is complete. Konawaena has earned the top seed in the league tournament by virtue of its currently unbeaten record and a win over Hilo, the second seed, which serves as a tie-breaker in case both schools finish with a similar record.

The chances of that tie-breaker coming into play are slim. The Wildcats travel Saturday to Hawai`i Preparatory Academy, who hold a 5-5 league record. A win by Konawaena, regardless of what Hilo does at Kealakehe Saturday, clinches the regular season championship and the first league berth into the Hawaiian Airlines / Hawai`i High School Girls Basketball Tournament.

Konawaena will host fourth-seeded Kea`au next Friday at 6:00 p.m. The Cougars will hold a home court advantage with the entire tournament being held at Kea`au High School, but remain a heavy underdog after losing to the Wildcats 61-22 Monday.

Hilo will square off with Waiakea, the tournament third-seed, at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.  The Vikings own two victories against the Warriors this year, the most recent coming on Jan. 14 in a 70-38 blowout. The Vikings also earned a 63-40 win on Nov. 28 during its own tournament.

The winners of each semifinal game will meet on Sat., Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The winner of the league championship game will earn the league’s seeded berth into the tournament. Unless Konawaena is upset in the semifinals, both teams in the league title game will advance to the state tournament.

The regular season championship has been decided in Division II, but Saturday’s matchup between Honoka`a and Kohala could determine whether the Dragons win the championship outright.

Honoka`a holds an 8-2 record going into Friday’s road tilt, one game better than Kamehameha-Hawai`i. A Kohala upset victory, coupled with a Warriors win at Kea`au Saturday, would even both teams’ records at 8-3. The Dragons would earn the regular season championship from its home win over KS-Hawai`i in December, but would not earn the first of three state tournament berths.

All four seeded berths are set in Division II for next week’s league tournament. The Warriors will hold the second seed, regardless of Saturday’s result. Kohala is held to the third seed due to its loss Monday against Kamehameha-Hawai`i. Hawai`i Prep rounds out the field with the fourth seed.

A third place game may be needed in the Division II tournament in two scenarios. If Honoka`a wins the outright championship and defeats HPA in the semifinals, the two semifinal losers will meet Saturday at 4:30 p.m. to determine the league’s final berth. A third place game would also be needed if no outright champion is determined.

KTA Super Stores is the title sponsor of the BIIF Girls Basketball Tournament.

BIIF girls basketball standings (as of Jan. 23)

Division I

Konawaena 10-0

Hilo 9-1

Waiakea 6-4

Kea`au 4-6

Kealakehe 1-9*

Division II

Honoka`a 8-2

Kamehameha-Hawai`i 7-3

Kohala 6-4

Hawai`i Prep 5-5

Pahoa 3-7*

Ka`u 1-9*

Laupahoehoe 0-10*

* – did not qualify for the league tournament

KTA Super Stores / BIIF Girls Basketball Tournament schedule

Friday

Division II

#4 Hawai`i Prep vs. #1 Honoka`a – 3:00 p.m.

#3 Kohala vs. #2 Kamehameha-Hawai`i – 4:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)

Division I

#4 Kea`au vs. #1 Konawaena – 6:00 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)

#3 Waiakea vs. #2 Hilo – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

Division II third place game (if necessary) – 4:30 p.m.

Division II championship – 6:00 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)

Division I championship – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)