NOTEBOOK : South Gate Basketball Not on Aoki’s Schedule

After 23 years of coaching, South Gate High School basketball Coach Tak Aoki has decided to call it quits.

“I want to see what if feels like to have some free time on my hands,” Aoki said.

Aoki, 56, began coaching basketball at South Gate in 1986, succeeding Paul Hackett.

During Aoki’s tenure, South Gate went xx-xx, reaching three playoff berths and making appearances in the City 3-A finals in 1992 and City 4-A quarterfinals in 1993. Aoki had coached at Banning from 1970 to 1975 and at Gardena from 1978 to 1988.

Aoki said he will continue teaching physical education at South Gate and stay involved in other sports.

“I will coach cross-country or Bee basketball if the school asks me, because they don’t take up as much time as (varsity) basketball. But right now, I enjoy teaching physical education. And I want to see what it feels like having my own free time. I may like it, and I may not. But I want to experience something new.”

Aoki said that come basketball season, it will be strange not being involved in the sport. But, he said, the six-month hiatus will give him more time with his family.

“My daughter plays tennis at her high school and I have never been to one of her matches,” Aoki said. “I don’t want to look back years from now and say, ‘I spent a lot of time with everyone’s kid except my own.’ ”

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Last laugh--The Verbum Dei High track team did not get much respect on campus after placing third in the four-team Santa Fe League. “They would get teased at practice by kids leaving from school,” said Coach Lalo Mendoza.

But thanks to the team’s showing at the Southern Section championships at Cerritos College on May 22, “I think they are starting to get a little more respect now,” Mendoza said of his team, which has a 2-4 record.

The Eagles captured the Division IV title, their first championship. They amassed 62 points with four athletes to outdistance runner-up St. Bonaventure with 37 1/2 and L.A. Baptist with 32.

Brian Harris won the 110-meter high hurdles in a wind-aided 15.00 seconds. Harris and teammate Robert Black were first and second in the 300 intermediate hurdles in 39.31 and 41.18.

Harris and Black, along with Omar Knapper--who finished first in the 100 (11.80) and third in the 200 (22.70)--and freshman Terry Winston teamed on the Eagles’ winning 400 relay team, which ran 43.83. The four also placed third in the 1,600-meter relay in 3:28.38.

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Encore--Michael Granville of Bell Gardens broke his own state freshman record to win the 400 in 48.00 in the Division I final on May 22. Granville, 15, who also holds the national freshman records in the 800 meters and indoor 500 yards, set the previous record of 48.40 at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays in April.

Granville’s mark was the fastest of all four divisions and qualified him for the Masters Meet at Cerritos College this past Friday. The top five advance to the State meet Friday and Saturday at Cerritos.

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Second to one--Genet Gigorgis of Trade Tech finished second in the 3,000 meters (10:05.05) and the 5,000 (17:30.58) at the State junior college championships at Shasta College on May 21 and 22.

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Player of the Year--Catcher Steve Soliz of Cal State L.A. has been selected as the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. Player of the Year. The senior, who batted .350, was named along with junior teammate Ted Stevens to the first team for Cal State L.A., (20-30, 12-18 in conference), which finished sixth in conference play.

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Valley bound--Davy Fortson of Dorsey may have signed to play basketball at Cal State Fullerton, but expect the 6-foot-3 senior guard to end up playing for Valley College. Fortson has not meet eligibility requirements on his college entrance examination. Fortson averaged 20.5 points, five rebounds and 3.1 assists. He was selected to the Times’ Central City team and the City 4-A team.

Sean Waters contributed to this report.