Twenty-two of Hawaii's top female high school basketball players will compete for 12 spots on the Team Aloha roster this weekend.

The tryouts will be held 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Manoa Valley District Park Gym and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Moanalua High School Gym.

The two-day tryouts are for underclassmen only.

The team will be coached by Dana Takahara-Dias, director of the City's Department of Customer Services and former athletic director and girls' basketball coach at Moanalua High School. She will be assisted by Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Also accompanying Team Aloha will be Keith Amemiya, executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.

Team Aloha will compete in the Arizona Elite Spring Classic April 17-19 in Phoenix. This NCAA-sanctioned event will feature teams from throughout the nation, with heavy representation from teams in the Western states. The tournament attracts many college coaches and scouts, a number of whom have already expressed an interest in the Team Aloha players.

"Hawaii's female basketball players have done extraordinarily well in the college ranks, bringing with them not only talent and academic accomplishment, but an unselfish, team-oriented attitude that the college coaches find very appealing," said Hannemann. "I'm confident this year's crop of talented underclassmen will prove themselves worthy of a closer look by the college scouts."

Team Aloha won the consolation championship in the Arizona Elite tournament last year. Two years earlier, Team Aloha won the prestigious Nike Storm + Swish Fall Shootout in Santa Barbara.

Invited student-athletes include:

Kalei Adolpho, (Molokai sophomore center)

Milika Taufa (Lahainaluna junior center)

Pua Kailiawa (Ka'u junior center)

Keaton McFadden (Mid-Pacific junior forward-center)

Kirsten Liana (Farrington sophomore forward-center)

Hailey Maeda (Punahou sophomore forward)

Jenna Savusa (Mid-Pacific junior forward)

Mikela Theommes (Roosevelt junior forward)

Mysha Sataraka (Punahou freshman forward)

Sofia Folaumahina (Farrington junior forward)

Tayler Wang (Hawaii Preparatory junior forward)

Georgette Lopes-Luitolo, 'Iolani junior guard-forward)

Ashley Agcaoili (Maryknoll sophomore guard)

Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo (Farrington sophomore guard)

Dawnyelle Awa (Konawaena freshman guard)

Dejah Faasoa (Kaimuki freshman guard)

Kamie Imai (Waiakea junior guard)

Kylie Maeda ('Iolani freshman guard)

Lia Galderia (Konawaena freshman guard)

Lori Yamashita ('Iolani junior guard)

Maiki Viela (Lahainaluna sophomore guard)

Rachel Tailele (Kahuku sophomore guard)

All of the girls participated in the 16th annual Mufi Hannemann Basketball Jamboree Feb. 28, and their invitations were based on their performance at the event, as well as their season and post-season accomplishments. Local sportswriters also submitted their recommendations for the tryouts.

The 2009 Team Aloha members will be selected by a panel consisting of some of the top names in island basketball circles.

They include:

Vince Goo, former University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine basketball head coach for 17 years, with a career record of 331-162 and four coach of the year honors;

Dennis Agena, founder of the Kalakaua Basketball Foundation, which has trained 8,000 keiki on basketball fundamentals and produced many of the top players in the high school and college ranks;

Da Houl, UH Wahine basketball player from 1983-87 and assistant coach for 12 years under Vince Goo, currently girls varsity assistant coach at Mid-Pacific Institute;

Rodney Veary, attorney, Iolani girls varsity assistant coach, former high school standout at Iolani, and Raider boys assistant basketball coach;

Dana Takahara-Dias.