Updated BIIF Girls Hoops Playoff Picture

Tuesday’s Big Island Interscholastic Federation girls basketball slate provided some clarity to what initially was a crowded league playoff picture.

One spot was clinched during the four-game schedule. Waiakea nailed down the fourth seeded position in next week’s BIIF Division I girls basketball tournament with its 50-34 win over Kealakehe. Kea’au was also in contention for the final berth, but its 50-41 loss to Kohala knocked the Cougars out of the race.

Hilo defeated Honoka’a on Tuesday by the final score of 46-25, setting up a monumental showdown against Konawaena on Friday, with both teams entering the game with a 9-0 BIIF record. The winner of that game will earn a state tournament berth and the top seed in the league semifinals.

With the loss, Honoka’a clinched the third seeded spot in the semifinals and will face the loser of Friday’s Konawaena/Hilo tilt next week.

Also on Tuesday, Pahoa earned its first victory of the season by defeating Hawai’i Preparatory Academy 44-21. That pushed the Daggers over HPA for a possible berth into the Division II league tournament.

Hawai’i Prep, however, has two games remaining, Thursday at Kohala and Friday at Kealakehe. If Ka Makani can win both games, they would overtake Pahoa and claim the fourth seed. One win would force a tie-breaker game on Feb. 1 with the Daggers. If the tie-breaking game is needed, it would be played at HPA’s Castle Gymnasium.

Like in Division I, the top seed hasn’t been decided in Division II. Kamehameha-Hawai’i can clinch the first overall seed and a state berth with a win at Honoka’a on Friday, but a loss, coupled with a Kohala win on Thursday over Hawa’i Prep, would shift the state tournament berth to the league tournament and give the Cowgirls the top seed, based on its win over the Warriors in the regular season.

BIIF girls basketball standings

Division I

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

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

Honoka’a (15-13, 7-2) – vs. KS-Hawai’i on 1/29

Waiakea (8-8, 5-4) – vs. Kea’au on 1/29

*Kealakehe (7-14, 3-6) – vs. Hawai’i Prep on 1/29

*Kea’au (4-9, 3-6) – at Waiakea on 1/29

Division II

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

Kohala (6-7, 5-4) – vs. Hawai’i Prep on 1/28

Ka’u (3-13, 2-8)

Pahoa (1-9, 1-9)

Hawai’i Prep (0-11, 0-8) – at Kohala on 1/28, at Kealakehe on 1/29

* – eliminated from playoff contention