Mission Viejo Basketball Coach Minier Resigns

MISSION VIEJO — Bob Minier, who led the Mission Viejo boys’ basketball teams to five league championships in 14 seasons, announced his resignation Monday.

Minier, the dean of south county basketball coaches, had a 226-139 record at Mission Viejo. Minier’s team in 1980, led by Bob Thornton, now with the Minnesota Timberwolves, advanced to the Southern Section Division 2-A title game, where it lost to Moreno Valley, 41-38. Mission Viejo also reached the division semifinals in 1979.

“It was time,” said Minier, who was expected to retire after this season. “The relationship with the kids and playing in the county’s toughest league (South Coast League) were the highlights. It was always great to play the Capistrano Valleys and the El Toros.”

Mission Viejo was 9-18 in Minier’s final season, but upset Cypress, Savanna and Los Amigos before losing to top-seeded Trabuco Hills in the Southern Section Division II-A semifinals.

Minier said he would continue to teach honors English courses and coach the school’s golf team.

“I’m going to do some traveling, and for the first time in years, I’ll have Christmas vacation off,” he said.

Among the top players Minier has coached were Thornton, the South Coast League’s most valuable player in 1980, Raoul Montalfo, Randy Sherwood, Pete DeCasas, Jeff Herdman and Tom Desiano.