It isn’t exactly a soap opera, but there definitely was a shakeup when three Lahainaluna girls basketball players left the school recently to enroll at Konawaena.

The seniors — sisters Lindsay and Taylor Bates, and Aloha Salem — transferred to Konawaena before preseason began. It was a stunning twist for Wildcats coach Bobbie Awa, whose team lost to Mililani in the state tournament last year and already had an improved roster this season.

Konawaena returned All-State guard Chanelle Molina, her sister Celena and active post Ihi Victor. Freshman point guard Cherilyn Molina, the youngest of the Molina sisters, is another standout from the Stingrays youth basketball program. She, too, is penciled in as a starter.

Then there’s the addition of a few more Stingrays players who are freshmen, and a tall transfer from Australia. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of playing time for additions, though it’s clear that the three Lunas transfers — all guards who can shoot from the perimeter — can solidify Konawaena’s bench.

Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard confirmed that the trio left the Lunas despite a long history of playing for Rickard and his staff in youth hoops (Menehunes) and high school. He also confirmed that a rift between himself and the Bates sisters’ father, who was an assistant coach for the Lunas last season, was a major reason for the move to the Big Island.

Rickard declined to comment further on the issue, but his team seems to be holding up well. Lahainaluna, which lost to Punahou in last year’s state championship game, defeated Kaiser 69-34, Leilehua 65-43 and Punahou 51-49 (in OT) over the weekend in the Ted Fukushima Invitational at Kaiser.

Konawaena defeated Waiakea 77-21 on Friday in a nonleague game.

Konawaena will play at Lahainaluna’s preseason tournament Nov. 27-29, but is not scheduled to play the host Lady Lunas. The Wildcats will play Maui, Mililani and Leilehua there. They will also play in the ‘Iolani Classic on Dec. 11.