Harvard-Westlake Job Is Taylor-Made

Never in a million three-point shots with that funky red, white and blue basketball of the old American Basketball Assn. did Brian Taylor envision himself coaching a girls’ high school basketball team.

But Taylor is giving it a shot, so to speak, as first-year coach at Harvard-Westlake, a team overshadowed not only by members of its own league but the other basketball team on campus that has risen to national prominence.

Taylor, 45, a former 10-year ABA-NBA veteran and former teammate of Julius Erving, hopes to change that.

“We have some holdovers from last year who were always getting beat by Alemany and Louisville,” Taylor said. “My goal is to get [the players] to believe in themselves.”

Taylor’s sights are set on elevating the program to league supremacy. But the going figures to be difficult.

Defending league champion Alemany, presumably depleted by the departure to UCLA of center Carly Funicello, is 9-2 and appears formidable as ever.

Louisville, which reached the Southern Section Division IV-AA semifinals last season, continues to improve under second-year Coach Paula Getty-Shearer.

Both teams have enough experience and talent to distance themselves from the pack.

For Taylor, undertaking his first varsity head-coaching job, besting Notre Dame, Chaminade and Flintridge Sacred Heart for the league’s third playoff spot might be a realistic goal.

The ABA’s rookie of the year with the New York Nets in 1973, Taylor finished his career with the San Diego Clippers in 1983 and has served as associate director of admissions at Harvard-Westlake since 1992.

The Wolverines were 16-9 last season but finished fourth in league at 4-6. Harvard-Westlake, with four key returning players, is 9-5 after winning the consolation title of the Ayala tournament.

Regardless of how the Wolverines fare, Taylor knows few people will take immediate notice since Harvard-Westlake is gunning for a second consecutive boys’ state championship with twins Jarron and Jason Collins.

“The thing about coaching girls at Harvard-Westlake is that everyone wants the girls’ program to be as good as the boys’ program,” Taylor said. “But it’s not going to happen that quickly. Now, maybe if I had a pair of 6-5 twins. . . . “

Taylor does have a pair of 6-footers--sophomore center Omelogo Udeze and freshman forward Rolake Bamgbose. Udeze averaged 8.2 rebounds last season and twice has had 18 rebounds in a game this season.

However, junior guard Corrie Roberts, who averaged 11.2 points last season, will be out at least two more weeks with a broken foot.

Starters Carissa Abbott and Christine Bohle missed several early season games while playing with the school’s volleyball team.

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AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: Alemany junior guard Kelli Kobayashi was an all-league selection last season after averaging 11.8 points. Senior forward Francine Bennett of Alemany averaged 6.4 points. Senior guards Becky Witt and Rosie Chingcuangco of Louisville averaged 12.0 and 8.9 points last season. Teammate Kari Crawley, a junior guard, averaged 11.1 points. Junior guard Corrie Roberts of Harvard-Westlake averaged 11.2 points but has missed the first half of the season because of a broken foot. Forwards Carissa Abbott, Christine Bohle and Omelogo Udeze all are returning starters for Harvard-Westlake.

* THE PROMISING: Freshman guard Kate Beckler of Alemany scored 36 points over three games in the Santa Barbara tournament. Freshman center Rolake Bamgbose of Harvard-Westlake stands 6 feet.

* FAST FACT: Alemany has won eight league titles in 11 seasons.