Another Molina earns top All-State girls basketball honor

In the post-Chanelle Molina era, Konawaena didn’t look far to find another floor general en route to an eighth state championship in the past 14 seasons.

Younger sister Cherilyn Molina embraced the process and then some. The 5-foot-5 junior point guard sparked the Wildcats to the BIIF and state titles, and was voted the Star-Advertiser All-State Fab 15 player of the year. She follows Chanelle, who won the honors three years in a row.

In all, four Wildcats — Cherilyn and her older sister, senior Celena Jane Molina, Mikayla Tablit and Caiyle Kaupu — were voted to the Fab 15. Longtime head coach Bobbie Awa finished first in coach of the year balloting after guiding her team to its third state championship in a row. Awa has led Konawaena to eight state titles in the past 14 seasons. Maryknoll’s Chico Furtado, who led his team to three ILH titles in a row, was second in the voting.

Molina was a unanimous selection by the panel of coaches and media. She averaged 13 points per game, but was also stellar defensively. The point guard averaged 15 points per game at the state championships, including 14 points, six assists and six steals in the final against Maryknoll as the Wildcats won their third crown in a row — one for each of Molina’s three varsity seasons. She averaged four rebounds and three steals per game at the big dance.

“Cherilyn (Molina) was the one that needed to carry the torch for Chanelle, and she did that, providing the spark and leadership that their younger players needed,” Furtado said. “She made others around her better. She also gave them great guard play and scoring.”

During preseason, while the young Wildcats were finding their footing, she managed to score in double figures against national powerhouses Archbishop Mitty (11 points) and Salesian (10).

“She can do it all. A great leader, great defender, shoots the 3 well and also can take it to the hoop well,” said Kamehameha coach Joseph Cho, whose team lost to Konawaena in the state semifinals. “Last year to this year, she became the leader of the team. Every aspect of her game improved, and she’s back next year.”

Maryknoll sophomore Kamalu Kamakawiwo‘ole was second in the voting after averaging 11 points per game. In a state semifinal win over Lahainaluna, she had 20 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. She also scored 10 in the state title game against Konawaena.

She was often at her best at the top of Maryknoll’s full-court press, where her long arms and energy often sparked big runs by the Lady Spartans.

“She is long and disruptive on the defensive end, and very aggressive on the offensive end,” Cho noted. “She shoots the 3 well, and this year, her shot selection is better.”

Kamehameha’s Mikiala Maio was superb as a senior, adapting to her team’s needs. Largely a perimeter weapon in her first three varsity seasons, Maio became a reliable scorer and passer on the high post, battling in the paint for rebounds. She also provided savvy leadership in the backcourt when needed, using her 5-10 frame to help break full-court pressure.

She was at her best in the clutch, scoring 24 points in a close win over ‘Iolani to seal the ILH’s second and final state-tourney berth. She scored 30 points in a state-quarterfinal victory over Farrington and its formidable scorer, Moli Heimuli. She finished the state tourney averaging more than 19 points per game. For the season, she shot 75 percent from the free-throw line.

Heimuli is a left-hander who wowed fans with her ambidextrous post shooting, point-guard-level ball-handling skills and tremendous endurance. The senior averaged more than 21 points per game as Farrington won the OIA Division I title.

Mikayla Tablit and Cherilyn Molina of Konawaena formed the best defensive backcourt duo in the state. Tablit scored 16 points per game during the season and averaged 12 points, four rebounds and two steals per game at the state tournament.

Celena Jane Molina was the Wildcats’ leader in the paint, battling bigger, taller foes. She also created mismatches offensively with a stretch-5 package of 3-point shooting and slashing to the rim. She averaged 11 points, six boards and three steals per game at the state tourney.

Coaches and media made her the top vote-getter in the all-defensive team selections.

Maryknoll point guard Rhianne Omori was the glue for her team, averaging 10 points per game as her team of mostly underclassmen won another ILH crown. At states, she averaged 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Victoria Kintz averaged 14 points per game to lead Kaimuki to the OIA final. The senior’s versatility was a huge factor, as she often played the point or wing offensively while anchoring the defense at center.