Photos: HHSAA Division I GIRLS BASKETBALL: Lahainaluna defeats Konawaena to capture division I crown

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and Welcome to Hawaii Digital Sports.  We are featuring the awesome
photos of the HHSAA Hawaiian Airlines Girls DI Basketball Championship Game  by Jon Bello of www.Jonbphotography.com

HHSAA Division II GIRLS BASKETBALL: Kapa‘a defeats #3 Sacred Hearts, 64-49

By Paul Honda
Honolulu Star Bulletin

At Lahainaluna, there’s no getting away from family and friends.

In fact, they will track and follow their Lunas across the ocean out of loyalty. That fact turned into motivation for the Lahainaluna Lady Lunas, who rallied from an 11-point deficit for a stunning 47-45 win over defending champion Konawaena last night in the final of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Basketball Division I State Championships.

The Lunas rallied from 11 down.

“I told the girls, ‘How badly do you want this?’ It’s surreal,” Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard said. “It just proves that even if you’re from the neighbor islands, if you put the work in required and training in the offseason, it can happen. It can really happen.”

The win came with a tinge of controversy when Lia Galdeira’s pull-up jumper to tie the game was ruled no good after a blocking foul. If the shot had counted, the game would have been tied at 47 with a free throw for the Wildcats sophomore.

Instead, Konawaena had the ball down 47-45 with 2 seconds left. An inbounds pass from under the basket from Dawnyelle Awa to Galdeira in the paint was deflected and caromed away as time expired.

Center Milika Taufa, sensing her last opportunity, brought the championship trophy home for the Lunas (26-2). The 6-foot senior poured in 26 points, including 21 in the second half, to lead Lahainaluna to its first girls hoops state crown. 

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