Smith in post made 'Iolani hard to beat
Advertiser Staff
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There were many talented players in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu this past girls basketball season, but if one could have been called "dominant," it was 'Iolani's Jamie Smith.
Smith, a 6-foot junior post, averaged 16.4 points per game and was named Player of the Year after a vote of league coaches.
She was a force in the post, scoring often on short jumpers or putbacks, grabbing rebounds or blocking shots.
Her best performance came in the biggest game of the year, the winner-take-all playoff against Kamehameha after both teams finished the regular season tied for first place at 10-2. Smith scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked five shots as the Raiders won, 53-46, for their first ILH title since 1996.
Smith is a repeat ILH all-star first team selection and is joined on this year's all-star first team by fellow Raider Alana Matayoshi, Maryknoll's Nicole Fu, Punahou's Chelsea Deptula, Kamehameha's Analee Viena-Lota and Mid-Pacific's Johnelle Kapua.
Matayoshi, a 5-8 senior forward, averaged 8.8 points per game.
Fu, a 5-5 senior guard, averaged 17.2 points per game, including 30 against Kamehameha and 26 versus Punahou. She also is a repeat first team selection.
Deptula, a 5-9 senior forward and yet another repeat first team pick, averaged 7.1 points per game and helped the Buffanblu earn a state tournament berth.
Viena-Lota, a 5-9 senior forward, averaged 14.5 points per game, including a career-high 27 against Punahou in the regular season finale to force the special one-game playoff.
Kapua, a 5-8 sophomore, averaged 10.9 points per game.
'Iolani's Glenn Takara was named Coach of the Year.