Chanelle Molina scored 27 points and leaped for eight rebounds as top-seeded Konawaena pulled away from second-seeded Lahainaluna for a 51-41 win to capture the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Basketball Division I State Championship on Friday night.

A boisterous crowd of 1,519 at Stan Sheriff Center saw Konawaena (30-1, 12-0 BIIF) use a second-half run to rally past the dangerous Lunas. The Wildcats earned their sixth state crown under coach Bobbie Awa, all since 2004, in denying the tough Lunas a second title. 

"They’re all different and they all feel great," Awa said of their newest crown. "Our girls worked hard on defense. We really had to bring the backside help to stop their big girls in the second half." 

The Lunas are one of several talented and young teams that showed promise in this year’s state tourney. They hadn’t lost a game to another team besides Konawaena. When the teams met in preseason at the Wildcats’ tourney, Konawaena won 61-52. 

"We feel bad for our senior," Keleah-Aiko Koloi said, referring to forward/center Matafolau Hafoka. "We wanted to do it for her." 

Molina was named the most outstanding player of the tournament, joined by teammates Ihi Victor and Celena Jane Molina on the all-tournament team. Also on the team are Lahainaluna’s Fiamea Hafoka and Cameron Fernandez, and Maryknoll’s Maegen Martin. 

It was a physical, methodical battle much of the night between two athletic teams. Coach Todd Rickard’s Lunas had some momentum with a 25-23 halftime lead. 

"We were down coming into the second half, only by a basket," said Molina, who scored 11 points before the break, but sat for the final 4:20 after picking up her second foul. 

"That’s not really how we play, playing down and catching up, but the last couple of games, we’ve been down."

Part of that pick-up was Konawaena doing a better job of ganging up on Lahainaluna’s talented post scorers, Koloi and Folau Hafoka. 

"We were on it," Molina said. "They’re huge." 

There were five lead changes in the third quarter, but Konawaena seized a 

39-38 lead on a drive and bank shot by Molina late in the stanza. 

She drove for another bucket a moment later to give her team a three-point cushion entering the final eight minutes. That modest margin was the largest for the BIIF champions in the first three quarters. 

Lahainaluna (24-2, 14-0 MIL), normally runs and guns opponents into submission. 

"We had to pick it up. They were huffing and puffing and we had a deep bench. We could tell they were tired," Molina said. 

She hit a foul shot to start the final quarter, and after Victor (14 points) sank two more free throws, the Wildcats led 44-38 with 6:55 remaining. 

After the ‘Cats missed an NBA-range 3-point shot, Awa had her team run a delay offense the same way they closed out wins against Punahou and Roosevelt earlier in the tourney. 

It was the final chapter in the intriguing twist that began in preseason, when three Lunas — Lindsay Bates, Taylor Bates and Aloha Salem — transferred to Konawaena. 

HHSAA DIVISION I GIRLS

Konawaena 51, Lahainaluna 41

Key — fg-a: field goals made-attempted; ft-a: free throws made-attempted; rb: rebounds; pf: personal fouls; pts: total points; a: assists; to: turnovers; min: minutes played.

Halftime — Lahainaluna 25, Konawaena 23.

3-points goals — Lahainaluna 3-7 (Hafoka, F. 2-3, Fernandez 1-4). Konawaena 2-12 (Molina, Cha. 1-1, Molina, Cel. 1-3, Bates, L. 0-1, Tablit 0-1, Molina, Che. 0-3, Salem 0-3). Steals — Lahainaluna 4 (Koloi 2, Fernandez, Hafoka, M.). Konawaena 9 (Bates, L. 2, Molina, Cel. 2, Molina, Cha. 2, Bates, T., Molina, Che., Salem). Blocked shots — Lahainaluna 4 (Koloi 2, Fernandez, Hafoka, E.). Konawaena none. Officials — Kirk Hottendorf, Ryan Hannemann, Courtney Robinson.  A–1,519.

DIVISION I 3RD PLACE 

Maryknoll 60, Roosevelt 48

MARYKNOLL–Amber Bustamante 0, Alexis Delovio 4, Rhianne Omori 4, Kaile Cambra 4, Maegen Martin 13, Maile Pang 3, Maya Rodrigues-Chang 2, Georjette Stietzel 3, Isaballa Cravens 0, Chayse Milne 6, Lindsey Lee 11, Kehau Gilliland 0, Ysabelle Halemano 3, Sierra Murobayashi 6,  Moe Nota 1.

ROOSEVELT–Sharice Kawakami 4, Starr Rivera 14, Kaohi Kapiko 2, Ashely-Alohi Kiko 4, Keala Quinlan 14, Destiny Holani 0, Kaonohi Quinlan 8, Munaalofa Cook 0, Alliya Gabriel 2, Ciera-Nicole Uchida 0, D-Dre Wright 0.

3-point goals–Maryknoll 7 (Murobayashi 2, Lee 2, Stietzel, Pang). Roosevelt 3 (Quinlan 2, Rivera)

DIVISION I 5TH PLACE

Punahou 51, Hilo 41

HILO–Sharry Pagan 0, Chailey Cabalis 6, Alexis Pana 18, Kaia Seguban-Yamabe 0, Sharlei Graham-Bernisto 5, Cherish Quiocho 0, Cierra Kelii 0, Shalyn Guthier 2, Faith Katie Loeak 4, Sydnee Yokota 2, Laceylynn Rosa 0, Mandi Kawaha 4, Jessica Caro 0.

PUNAHOU–Kamaile Kandiah 4, Lexie Taylor 6, Heaven Wong 0, Kamakani DeBlake 0, Asia Olivieri 2, Vae Malufau 9, Elle Uyeda 11, Tyra Moe 12, Emi Puaa 2, Mahina Puaa 0, Sunny Rosario 0.

3-point goals–Hilo 2 (Graham-Bernisto, Pana). Punahou 6 (Uyeda 3, Taylor 2, Kandiah).