Konawaena girls basketball emphasizes togetherness, camaraderie, and selflessness as core principles. The Lady Wildcats’ style is evident in their fast pace, unselfish ball sharing, and mutual encouragement on and off the floor. Many of the talented south Kona players have known each other since grade school, forging lasting on-court connections that help Kona remain the face of Big Island girls basketball.
With six seniors on this year’s Wildcats squad, the roster is loaded with veterans who bring years of big-game experience. Given the familiarity among players, expectations are high for head coach Bobbie Awa’s program, which has claimed nine state titles over her two-decade tenure.
“I’m very excited to play my last season with these girls,” senior point guard Kaylie Yamasaki said. “It’s a special year because we all grew up together playing basketball, and we’re all rooted from Kona.”
Going into this season, there’s extra motivation for the Wildcats. In 2024-25, the team went 23-4 overall and undefeated in BIIF play, routing Waiakea 102-11 in the conference championship. The green and white then advanced to the Division-I semifinals against Iolani, where they lost in a close 43-40 battle. Kona rematched the Lady Raiders in a non-conference preseason matchup last weekend, winning 48-45.
Summary: The Wildcats aim to rebound in 2025-26 by leveraging veteran leadership, strong chemistry, and a storied program history to contend for BIIF and state success.