Lahainaluna High School’s Lola Donez drives against Kamehameha Maui’s Hailey Visaya in the first quarter of a Maui Interscholastic League game on Jan. 12. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

The Maui News

Lahainaluna High School senior Lola Donez was named the Gatorade Hawaii Girls Basketball Player of the Year for 2023-24, Gatorade announced in a news release Thursday.

Donez led the state in scoring at 26.9 points per game, according to statistics from scoringlive.com. The 5-foot-11 senior guard helped the Lunas go 13-3 and reach the Heide & Cook/HHSAA Division I state semifinals.

In a 69-66 state quarterfinal win over Waiakea last month, Donez broke the state tournament single-game scoring record with 41 points — Donez shot 16 for 22 from the field in that game, including 4 for 7 from 3-point range.

Donez spent her sophomore and junior seasons at Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) High School after her freshman season at Lahainaluna was wiped out by the pandemic. An active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Donez has volunteered locally with the World Central Kitchen, helping to assist the Lahaina community as it recovers from the Aug. 8 wildfire.

She will continue her career next year with the University of California Berkeley.

Last month, Donez was named the 2023-24 Hawaii MaxPreps Player of the Year.

Donez is the third player from Lahainaluna to win the Gatorade Hawaii POY award, joining Maiki Viela (2009-10 and 2010-11) and Aina Kohler (1997-98).