LIVE BLOG: Konawaena 62, Bishop O’Dowd 50

I’m doing the full-house deal with video, stats, running plays in the notebook, yadayada. So I can’t “live blog”, but I’ll update often as possible. Really interesting matchup between Konawaena, a small, but tough and skilled team featuring Washington State recruit Chanelle Molina, and a tall, athletic Dragons squad from Oakland, Calif.

(Note: I ended up blogging frequently, so I changed the headline to LIVE BLOG after the game.)

FIRST QUARTER
Three steals in the first 3 minutes by Konawaena out of its man defense. Chanelle Molina with five points including a steal and lefty reverse layup. Dragons are very tall and long, but look a bit like they’re in slow motion against the Wildcats.

Ihi Victor very aggressive to start the game, driving to the hoop, hitting foul shots. This time, she pulls the center out to the top, drives and kicks to Chanelle Molina in the left corner for a 3. Kona leads 12-3.

Chanelle Molina drives left, stopped on the baseline under the backboard, kicks to Cherilyn Molina for a corner 3. Kona up 15-5.

Then Victor finds Chanelle Molina open for a layup, 17-5.

Celena Jane Molina blocked shot, fastbreak to Mikayla Tablit, who misses the layup but Cherilyn Molina follows. 19-5. WOW.

Victor on a roll, swishes a left wing 3 on a pass from Chanelle Molina. Kona leads 23-7.

Maya Pace, Bishop’s 6-foot guard, getting warmed up with back-to-back pull-up Js in the lane. But Chanelle Molina scores another layup and it is 25-9.

Quarter ends with Konawaena ahead 25-11.

SECOND QUARTER
Dragons want a faster game and they’re getting it. A 3 by Mayla Andrada, then a driving lefty layup by Andrada, cuts it to 29-21. Konawaena starting to get beat on the boards. Time out Kona, 31-23, 4:54.

Victor follows her own shot for a bucket and Tablit steals the ball, feeds Cherilyn Molina for a layup. Kona 35-23.

Bishop O’Dowd on an 8-2 run. Pace still unstoppable on those 10-foot pull-ups in the lane. Kona’s lead down to 37-31.

Wildcats salvage the end of the half with a steal by Celena Jane Molina, which leads to Chanelle Molina’s assist to Cherilyn Molina for a layup. First half ends with Konawaena up 39-31. That second quarter was wobbly for the defending Hawaii state champions. They don’t have the depth that Bishop O’Dowd has and it began to show in this quarter.

HALFTIME
Konawaena shot 57 percent (8-for-14) in the first quarter, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range. The ‘Cats were 7-for-16 from the field in the second quarter and had both of their turnovers in that stanza. They were 0-for-3 from deep in the second.

The Dragons took just eight shots in the first quarter, making four, but were much more aggressive in the second quarter (7-for-13). The also outrebounded Konawaena 9-5 in the second and committed just one turnover.

Chanelle Molina scored 13 of her 17 points in the first quarter. She also has three steals. Victor has eight points and three dimes. Cherilyn Molina has six points and Celena Jane Molina has two points and three steals.

Pace has 14 points in the first half to lead Bishop O’Dowd.

THIRD QUARTER
Dragons still using a 2-2-1 halfcourt press. It’s not generating turnovers, but it is slowing Konawaena a bit and disrupting their rhythm offensively. Wildcats not scoring against it, anyway. Kona leads 43-33, 3:15.

Quarter ends with Konawaena ahead 37-31. Fatigue setting in. Bishop with a lot of hands defensively, physically trying to push Konawaena – not hand checks until the ball is dribbled. Victor’s air ball before the buzzer summed it up, yet the Cats lead 45-37 entering the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER
Chanelle Molina hits a long 2 from the top (I thought it was a 3), her first points since the second quarter. They may be fatigued, but the Wildcats have always been mentally tough and they’re showing it here. Chanelle Molina with a pass to Celena Jane on a cut to the bucket for an easy deuce. Bishop gambling with halfcourt defense and Kona made them pay. Time out, Dragons 5:59, Kona up 49-37.

Tablit breaks open on a sideline inbounds pass, leans in and draws the foul. She hits one FT, 50-37.

Now it’s Bishop that looks a bit fatigued. Cherilyn Molina hits two FTs, then Victor blocks a shot and races upcourt to get a feed from Cherilyn Molina for an easy layup. Kona leads 54-39.

Pace at it again. She drives and gets fouled, hits one of two FTs. Then she hustles back to contest a layup by Chanelle Molina, corrals the rebound and goes coast to coast for a three-point play. Kona 54-43, time out Kona, 3:37.

POST-GAME
Chanelle Molina is named most valuable player of the Glenn Young all-tournament team after tallying 21 points, seven steals, six rebounds and four assists in the title game. Victor, who had 15 points, five assists and five boards, is also named all-tourney, joined by Celena Jane Molina (six points, seven boards) and Cherilyn Molina (eight points, three boards).

Pace finished with with 21 points to lead the Dragons.