BIIF Girls Basketball: Soriano and Yamasaki Dominate All-BIIF Team Selections

Kohala's Adriana Soriano, DII Player of the Year, Leads All-League First Team Winners

Hats off to Adriana Soriano of Kohala, named the 2024-25 BIIF DII Player of the Year! She headlined the impressive BIIF Girls All-League Division II First Team that dropped recently.

Soriano, a star junior, was the driving force behind Kohala's BIIF title in the past season, making it the first island triumph since 1991. She led her crew in overall scoring, averaging an impressive 12.4 points per game. In the Division II conference, she ranked second with her outstanding scoring performance. Soriano netted double digits in 11 games this season and recorded two 20-point performances, with a stunning 23-point display against Sacred Hearts in a Nov. 2024 non-conference duel.

On Jan. 19, Soriano scored 18 points in the crucial BIIF DII Championship against Pahoa. Kohala's head coach, Mana Pasco, was also named DII Coach of the Year, following the Cowgirls' 10-2 league record and their overall statistics of 18-5. The black and gold averaged 55.2 points per game in the BIIF while keeping opponents at bay with 25.7 points per game.

Other notable teammates making the DII First Team include senior Kalia Marquez and Mahealani Pang. Marquez led the team in BIIF scoring with an average of 12.7 points per game, and scored a season-high 23 points twice throughout the season. Pang averaged 6.9 points per game, posting a season-high 17 points against Kea'au on Jan. 9.

Kamehameha-Hawaii's Kacie Feebo-Santiago was added to the DII First Team, thanks to her extraordinary effort as the Lady Warriors' leading scorer throughout the season, averaging 13.8 points per game and setting a season-high mark of 28 points against Hilo in Dec. 2024. Pahoa's Sophia Moniz, the only freshman on the list, wowed everyone with her average of 16 points per game to lead the Lady Daggers during the 2024-25 season. She netted 20-or-more points four times, including a memorable 28-point performance against Kohala in Dec. 2024, which helped Pahoa advance to the state tournament.

Rounding out the DII First Team was Ka'u's Jazmyn Navarro, who averaged 17.1 points per game in the BIIF and 15 points per game overall. Navarro posted a season-high 27 points against Hawaii Preparatory Academy on Jan. 18.

Completing the list of DII Second Team members were HPA's Rosey Wawner, KSH's Shailan Benevides, Kohala's Ilima Napoleon, and Pahoa's Azariyah Brown and Jill Shipp.

In Division I, Konawaena swept the entire BIIF Division I First Team with every selection being a Lady Wildcat. Highlighting this achievement is Kaylie Yamasaki, who was as the DI Player of the Year, recognized for her exceptional performance in leading the team's impressive unbeaten season.

Bobby Awa, Konawaena's head coach, was named DI Coach of the Year for leading the team to a flawless 14-0 league record and 23-4 overall to secure the BIIF DI title. The Lady Wildcats averaged a staggering 76.9 points per game in island play while keeping opponents at bay with just 13.1 points per game. Konawaena defeated Waiakea 102-11 in the BIIF DI Championship on Jan. 29, earning high seeding for the state tournament. They came up short in the state semifinals against Iolani.

Yamasaki's teammates, senior Ki'ilei Leleiwi, junior Aaadyn Kauhi, junior Mikela Salazar-Harrell, junior Haikela Hiraishi, and freshman Shaileia Hookahi-Bannister, all made the first team. Each player demonstrated excellent team play and combined efforts to contribute to the Lady Wildcats' unbeaten season, with no individual player averaging 12 points per game. There was no second team for DI.

Intriguing Fact: Kalia Marquez, a member of the DII First Team for Kohala, was also recognized for her remarkable performance in the BIIF Division II Championship when she was named to the All-Hawaii Second Team[1]. Marquez shone with impressive performances like her score of 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and four steals in the championship game against Pahoa.

Adriana Soriano, the BIIF DII Player of the Year, will continue her dominance in sports as she averaged 12.4 points per game for the 2024 season.
Kohala Cowgirls' head coach, Mana Pasco, was honored as the DII Coach of the Year, following the team's impressive 10-2 league record and their average of 55.2 points per game in the BIIF tournament.
Sophia Moniz, the only freshman on the DII First Team, showcased her talent by averaging 16 points per game for Pahoa, including a 28-point performance against Kohala in the 2024-25 season.
In Division I, future prospects are promising as stars like Kaylie Yamasaki, named the DI Player of the Year, averaged 12 points per game, leading the unbeaten Konawaena Lady Wildcats.