TIM WRIGHT / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Hanalani’s Maria Ralar dribbles during the 2020 state championship game held at Hilo. Ralar will be going for her second state title as the only Hanalani girl to play on the 2020 team and this year’s squad.
Select an option below to continue reading this premium story.
Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.
Kapaa 34, Hawaii Baptist 26
Olivia Malafu scored 12 points and added eight rebounds Friday to send the Warriors over the Eagles at Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo and into the Division II final of the Heide & Cook/HHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships.
Denise Alfonso scored nine points and pulled down 12 rebounds as Kapaa beat Hawaii Baptist 27-16 on the boards and outshot them 39% to 20%. Trislyn Maeda and Joey Lin had eight points each for the defending state champions but combined for more turnovers (9) than field goals (6).
Kapaa is in the state tournament for the first time since 2002, and this is the first time they have advanced out of the first round. They were 0-9 in the quarterfinals before Friday night. They had not won a state tournament game since 1997.
Kapaa will meet 2020 state champion Hanalani today at 7 p.m.
Hanalani 37, Kamehameha-Hawaii 35
Eliana Klemp had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and the Royals beat the Warriors to return to the state final.
The contest was tied at 35 with 25 seconds left when Chera-Lei Hiers passed to Klemp for a successful jumper. The Warriors worked a shot to Maele Honma 13 seconds later, but she missed and Klemp grabbed the board and was fouled. Klemp hit both free throws for the final margin and stole the ball from Kacie Febo-Santiago with two seconds left to seal it.
Hiers led the way with 12 points for the Royals. Maria Ralar played 17 minutes and will be going for her second state title as the only Hanalani girl to play on the 2020 team and this year’s squad.
KeanuMarie Huihui led Kamehameha-Hawaii with 14 points and eight rebounds. Honma contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.
Hanalani and Kamehameha-Hawaii had met at states only once before, in the first round of the 2019 tournament won by the Royals 44-28.