For a second year in a row, a Malafu has powered Kapaa to a state championship.
Olivia Malafu scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Kapaa overwhelmed Hanalani 54-37 for the Division II title at the Heide & Cook/HHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships at Afook-Chinen Hilo Civic Auditorium.
Denise Alfonso added nine points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals, and Norma Tuulangavalu chipped in eight points and five boards.
Malafu, a 6-foot junior, was relentless on the boards, and delivered assists with a flair as the Warriors won their first girls basketball state crown.
“It’s the greatest feeling — taking it here, seeing these girls play together, loving each other, playing for each other. It’s an awesome feeling,” Kapaa coach Neal Fagarang told KVIKS, the Hilo High School YouTube channel, after the live stream.
Kapaa won its first (D-II) football state championship in the fall of 2021 behind standout linebacker/running back Solomone Malafu, the older brother of Olivia.
“It was good. We played as a team, which is the important part,” Olivia Malafu said.
Kapaa closed the season 17-1 overall, the only loss coming to Damien, a D-I team that was ranked in the Top 10 early in the season. Damien won that game 50-48 at the Jesse Baugh Classic in Nanakuli.
Ellana Klemp led Hanalani with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Maria Ralar added 10 points and seven boards. Hanalani finished the season 19-4 overall with a talented, young roster under longtime coach Charles Hiers, who led the Royals to the D-II state title in 2020.
Kapaa took a chance with a 2-3 zone, testing Hanalani’s perimeter accuracy early on. After Alfonso connected on a 23-foot straightaway 3, Kapaa led 13-4 early in the second quarter.
Hanalani brought the lead down to four, but Kapaa responded with another run to open the lead to 36-23 in the third quarter.
Hanalani cut the lead to eight, but Malafu’s putback beat the buzzer, giving the KIF champs a 38-28 lead at the end of the third stanza.
Malafu added another bucket to start the fourth quarter, and Klemp then missed three free throws after being fouled on a try from the arc.
Angeline Nizo then scored on a fast-break layup and splashed a 3, and Malafu scored on a three-point play. After another layup by Nizo, Kapaa had its biggest lead, 50-30.
After finishing second in the ILH, the Royals went the long route in Hilo. They routed McKinley 62-23 on Wednesday, then edged MIL champion Lanai 51-44 on Thursday. Hanalani then ousted BIIF champion and second-seeded Kamehameha-Hawaii 37-35 on Friday.
Kapaa’s road to the final began with a 68-14 victory over OIA champion Pearl City on Thursday. The Warriors then withstood a big rally to outlast Hawaii Baptist 34-26 on Friday.
The Warriors had not reached the state-tournament final until this season. Three times, in 2009-11, Kapaa reached the semifinal round and lost.
THIRD PLACE
Kamehameha-Hawaii 55, Hawaii Baptist 43
KeanuMarie Huihui hit 10 of 14 field-goal attempts, including two of three from 3-point range and 9-for-12 at the free-throw line, and also grabbed nine rebounds to power the Warriors past the Eagles.
Trislyn Maeda led HBA with 16 points.
FIFTH PLACE
Hawaii Prep 51, Sacred Hearts 44
Brooke Samura poured in 33 points, including 16 in a game-changing third quarter, and grabbed 19 rebounds as Ka Makani held off the Lancers for fifth place in a state girls Division II basketball game.
CONSOLATION
Castle 35, Honokaa 33
Kaila Chun-Carvalho and Malia Tini each scored 11 points to help the Knights rally from a 10-1 first-quarter deficit to defeat the Dragons.
All-Tournament Team
(as selected by the media and HHSAA)
Division II
Denise Alfonso, Kapaa
Ellana Klemp, Hanalani
KeanuMarie Huihuii, KS-Hawaii
Maela Honma, KS-Hawaii
Brooke Samura, HPA
Most Outstanding Player: Olivia Malafu, Kapaa
