BIIF Girls Hoops: All Alive in Race for Playoffs

Entering the final week of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation girls basketball regular season, all 11 teams have either clinched a spot in the league’s postseason tournament or have a chance to clinch a spot, depending on what they do this week.

The top four teams in both Division I and Division II will advance to the semifinals, which will be held Friday, Feb. 5 at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. The regular-season champion will earn the top seed and, unless there is a tie at the top, a berth into the Hawai’i High School Athletic Association Girls State Basketball Championships.

In Division I, Konawaena, Hilo, and Honoka’a have each clinched a spot in the league’s postseason. Both the Wildcats and Vikings remain unbeaten in league play, and the top seed and possible state berth could be at stake when they meet on Friday at Hilo High School gymnasium.

Before that, Hilo has another tough matchup against Honoka’a on Tuesday. The Vikings defeated the Dragons on two separate occasions in the non-league season. A loss by Honoka’a would eliminate the Dragons from an outside shot at a tie-breaker at the top of the standings.

The final spot in the Division I postseason tournament remains up for grabs, with Waiakea holding a one-game advantage over both Kealakehe and Kea’au. The Warriors will host Kealakehe on Tuesday and Kea’au on Friday.

Kealakehe can take the fourth seed with a win over Waiakea and a defeat of winless Hawai’i Preparatory Academy on Friday. Kea’au could do the same thing with a win over Waiakea and another at Kohala on Tuesday.

A tie-breaker game could be forced if either of the three teams find themselves in a tie for the final spot.

Just like in Division I, three teams have clinched playoff berths in Division II. Kamehameha-Hawai’i, Kohala, and Ka’u will participate in the league tournament, but none of their seeds have been finalized.

Kamehameha-Hawai’i closes out its season with a trip to Honoka’a on Friday. A win would lock up the outright regular season championship and a berth in the state tournament. A loss, coupled with wins by Kohala over Kea’au and Hawai’i Prep, would split the regular season championship and move the state berth over to the league tournament.

If there is a tie for the top seed, Kohala would earn it based on its come-from-behind 54-53 win over Kamehameha-Hawai’i on Jan. 9.

Ka’u’s regular season is over, but its 2-8 record is good enough to advance. The Trojans can finish no higher than third place in the standings.

The final berth will be determined by two winless teams: Hawai’i Prep and Pahoa. Both teams face off on Tuesday, and a Ka Makani win would seal the final spot in the Division II playoffs. If Pahoa wins, Hawai’i Prep would have to win its final two games against Kohala and Kealakehe to advance.

The BIIF has two berths into the state tournament. The Division I state championship will be held from Feb. 9-12 in Honolulu, while the Division II tournament will be decided in East Hawai’i from Feb. 10-13.

BIIF Division I girls basketball standings

Konawaena (20-1, 9-0) – at Hilo on 1/29

Hilo (19-1, 8-0) – vs. Honoka’a on 1/26, vs. Konawaena on 1/29

Honoka’a (15-12, 7-1) – at Hilo on 1/26, vs. Kamehameha-Hawai’i on 1/29

Waiakea (7-8, 4-4) – vs. Kealakehe on 1/26, vs. Kea’au on 1/29

Kealakehe (7-13, 3-5) – @ Waiakea on 1/26, vs. Hawai’i Prep on 1/29

Kea’au (4-8, 3-5) – @ Kohala on 1/26, @ Waiakea on 1/29

BIIF Division II girls basketball standings

Kamehameha-Hawai’i (8-10, 6-3) – @ Honoka’a on 1/29

Kohala (5-7, 4-4) – vs. Kea’au on 1/26, vs. Hawai’i Prep on 1/28

Ka’u (3-13, 2-8)

Hawai’i Prep (0-10, 0-7) – at Pahoa on 1/26, at Kohala on 1/28, @ Kealakehe on 1/29

Pahoa (0-9, 0-9) – vs. Hawai’i Prep on 1/26