Comments on: Girls Hoops: All-State, All-Defense & more

By: Paul Honda

Paul Honda — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 08:49:33 +0000

In reply to Realist. I haven't trusted all-league picks by coaches since the 1990s. Too many games. Too much politics.

By: Realist

Realist — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:01:29 +0000

Not to beat a dead horse or anything…….but big island all stars came out last week apparently. Guess what???? Ihi Victor wasn’t even a honorable mention, meaning none of the coaches gave her a vote.

So to proove my point, body of work and not just states

By: hawaiifan

hawaiifan — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 11:28:50 +0000

Realist you are correct, my mistake I did mean Chanelle. I got a little boggled with previous comments saying Celena is overrated.
Humble… “out of touch with reality” ??? I disagree!! I’ve watched all these girls play for many years and ATTITUDE, BAD ATTITUDE, BAD SPORTMANSHIP is a key factor in any sport you play. I always tell my players “you can be the best baller out there but if your attitude sucks, you ain’t no athlete. College coaches will cross your name off the list.” Call me old school but someone who has poor sportsmanship isn’t a true athlete. But hey, that’s just my opinion.
Now from what I’ve witnessed, Keleah shut down AND blocked Jasmine Moody continuously throughout their game, as well as several other girls on the Radford Team and out rebound Radfords bigs the entire night. Against Maryknoll she did the same, blocked Meagan a couple times as well as other players on the team and out rebound Maryknoll as well. So really, no mobility to defend? Hey, whether big or small, she did her job under that basket by denying shots and rebounding. She may not be as fast nor quick as a guard who is shorter than her but neither is Meagan. Watch the game again, I just did.
Cameron is one of the best in her position, no pull up jumper? Come on now! Mea is weaker offensively? Have you watched all their games including MIL? Maybe you are a bit out of touch with reality. I can’t wait to see what damage Lahainaluna’s 3 juniors will create next year. Cameron, Mea and Keleah are all BEASTS in their positions.
Don’t rate players only on their performance during the state tournament, their season games is a major factor too.
Chanelle hands down is the BEST of the BEST and Celena the post player is a beast who is definitely NOT over rated! She may not be at the same level Chanelle was as a sophomore but what I trying to say is she definitely not over rated. Ihi is a BEAST as well under that basket. Keleah may have not stopped Ihi during the championship game but Ihi didn’t stop Keleah either. Have you seen these girls play against each other besides the championship game? I live on Oahu but yet have seen many games these girls have played… perhaps a little more than you. But I do agree with you on one thing, Celena is not on the same level as Mea or Cameron. But the Molina sister will continue to be a force to be reckoned with next year and years to come.

By: Realist

Realist — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 07:57:01 +0000

Hawaii Fan, nice to see someone else’s thoughts. I may not agree with everything you said, but you have some interesting points.

I think you may be mixing up Celena with Chanelle by the way. Chanelle was no doubt the best player in the state. Celena is the sophomore sister who’s more of a post player

By: Humble

Humble — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 06:34:48 +0000

HawaiiFan you seem very knowledgeable however, your comments are a bit out of touch with reality. These girls all have talents that are both strong and weak. That being said, labeling Keleah Koloi a BEAST is a bit to much. She has no mobility to defend. She may block shots on smaller players but will get beaten by quicker players. She didn’t stop Meagan or Ihi. Cameron is a slasher with tremendous potential but has no pull-up jumper. Her body of work has shown she is one of the best in State. Mea is also a very strong player that attacks well and her defense is AWESOME, weaker offensively because she does force some shots but still is one of the best in the State. Now, aside from Chanelle who is clearly the BEST in the State, there is no way that Celena is on the same level as Mea or Cameron. She is a very good player that will be one of the best in a year or two.

By: HawaiiFan

HawaiiFan — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 18:18:59 +0000

It’s amazing reading comments and judgements of how well these girls played and how they were all ranked. It seems as though credit is not given where it is best deserved. Celena Molina is by far a total package player. As a junior her smarts for the game is beyond high school level. Nothing negative about her should be said, she deserves every high ranking vote given. I don’t know her personally nor do I live in Kona but I hear of how her and her sisters put in 110% on their own. Hands down Celena is the best in the State.
Meagan is a beast with attitude though. I as an observer, fan, spectator has a saying, “you can an awesome athlete but if your attitude sucks, your game don’t mean nothing.” There is a difference between levels of attitude and constant swearing throughout the game, on live TV is bad, shafting your team mates as they high five you whether you miss the basket or not is poor sportsmanship, I even see her coaches constantly telling her to knock it off, they can’t even control her. BUT cause she plays good ball thats all ok? I feel the media and coaches should’ve considered that more when voting her 1st team.
Cameron Fernandez is a hot shooter! She can sink 3’s like nothing. Defensive game isn’t as strong but she is an amazing shooter! Ihi is amazing as well strong center forward! Keleah Koloi from Lahainaluna now that is a BEAST! For someone as big as her to not get the recognition deserved makes me wonder how the coaches and media really voted? I read her stats 17 rebounds in one game and 21 against Maryknoll? WOW! I watched her play on TV and she made block shots look like its the easiest thing ever. No one in the league blocked girls like her, grabbed rebounds like her while scoring double digits on top of it all. Even sinking 3’s. No negative attitude from her like Meagan but then voted 2nd team?
Mea Hafoka from Lahainaluna is a feisty player. A better player (defensively and offensively) than Cameron. Just because Mea didn’t sink as many 3’s, her defensive and offensive game is on point! Never in foul trouble either as aggressive as she is!
I think the ratings are wrong. Except for the ratings Celena got, she is definately not over ranked!

By: Paul Honda

Paul Honda — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 23:29:10 +0000

In reply to Jack. The order of the Fab 15 reflects the coaches/media voting. I venture to guess that more fans like seeing the order than not. One large batch of 15 without the ranking wouldn't be as interesting or fun. And by ranking their choices, the voters provide mathematical clarity, and that's a must.

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 22:39:20 +0000

They should just have a FAB 15 without ranking the 15 players as fans, coaches, players, individuals have their own opinions. And really, do they need to be ranked at the high school level? What’s the purpose of it?

By: bballfan

bballfan — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 16:09:19 +0000

Realist your still repeating everything you previously said so you are definitely anti-Ihi and anti-Celena. Meagan is definitely a great player and that is why she along with Cameron are in the Fab15. As for having to select an All Star Team- YES I definitely would select both Ihi and Celena to be part of an All Star Team and I would’nt be suprised if they both get selected for the Team Aloha All Star Team. Realist you keep comparing players to them and it seems like a little jealousy toward Ihi and Celena for being selected. Please give both girls a little more credit, remember Ihi after coming off from a concussion played awesome in the State Tournament and Celena’s a multisport player who does well all around and even got selected in the Fab15 Girls State Volleyball. Not only did both girls get selected in the All tournament team last summer in the Oregon Trail Tournament, but they were the only Hawaii team to advance and win their Bracket Championship Game. So if body of season work is what your looking for than both ladies have bee consistent throughout the season and thats why both ladies are part of the HHSAA Girls Basketball & Volleyball Championship Team. As for Chanelle & Cameron being compared to Lebron and Kevin, this is Girls High School Basketball and not the NBA. All this ladies have their unique skills and just want to have fun and play, so please stop being so negative when the players you would have voted did’nt rate higher than Ihi and Celena. As for Cherilyn being the 2nd best player for Konawaena that again is Realist being Negative and comparing her to the other 2 players is not necessary. You say your not anti-Kona, but just anti-Ihi and anti-Celena.

By: Realist

Realist — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 09:24:12 +0000

I’m not pro or anti anybody. All I was trying to say is Celena Molina and Ihi Victor are rated too high. Not that they aren’t deserving, I’d just rate a handful of players over them. With the way the Fab 15 is set up with individuals ranks 1-15, any sports fan will look at that and think off a big board for a NBA/NFL draft. If we were drafting players for an all-star team, would you take the mentioned Konawaena players that high? Like I was saying earlier, Maegen Martin and Cameron Fernandez are some players who’d I take just to name a few. Maegen was the only big for a team that went undefeated in the ILH regular season and Cameron is probably the Kevin Durant to Chanelle Molina’s Lebron James, both small forwards/wings. I thought Alexis Pana was also solid. You may think I’m anti-Kona but I actually think the younger Molina is the 2nd best player on the team. In case no one noticed, but she had 19 and 20 point games against Hilo, a team that can potentially win any league title just as long as Kona’s not in it. Paul you keep mentioning the voters and it’s a shame that state tournament and preseason performances get remembered more than body of season work.