Greentree Steps Down After Turbulent Season : Basketball: Three-year coaching tenure at Chatsworth marked by titles, tumult.

Chatsworth High won or shared three consecutive league championships in as many seasons under boys’ basketball Coach Sandy Greentree.

Was it good enough?

Capping a tumultuous season, Greentree resigned Thursday, denying that he was eaten by the monster he created.

Greentree, 38, helped turn around a nondescript program, but there were accompanying distractions. Not to mention heightened expectations.

In the weeks preceding the 1993-94 season, several players transferred to Chatsworth, including highly regarded center Eddie Miller, a sophomore from Notre Dame High.

Despite the influx of talent, Chatsworth struggled to meet early expectations, finished 13-8 and lost in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs.

Greentree, a special education teacher at Chatsworth, denied that he was pressured to resign by administrators or parents, and said he will pursue a business career.

Greentree said no successor has been chosen.

“There was no pressure whatsoever, not from administrators, parents or kids,” he said.

There was, however, considerable turbulence.

The season wasn’t even underway when Greentree was punched by junior Akua Floyd during a preseason practice. Floyd was sent to continuation school.

Floyd’s mother, Yolanda Marks, was so upset by the decision that she appeared before the Los Angeles Unified School District board to complain. Floyd was removed from continuation school and allowed to enroll at Reseda.

According to Michelle Smith, mother of junior forward T.J. McCoy, players held a meeting in December to discuss the team’s lackluster start and pinned the problems on the coaching staff. Said Smith at the time: “It was like a corporate meeting.”

Late in the season, the City Section directed Chatsworth to investigate whether Miller had made a change of residence, necessary for his athletic eligibility. Miller was cleared. In January, several parents voiced their concerns regarding the direction of the team to Chatsworth administrators.

“Some parents might have wanted us to win more games early,” Greentree said, pointing out that three of the defeats came at the highly competitive Above the Rim tournament in San Diego.

“We had minor distractions,” he said. “Most were from the parents of players that I could take or leave.”

Late in the season, several starters were declared academically ineligible, thinning the ranks for the playoffs.

Chatsworth, which advanced to the City 3-A semifinals in Greentree’s first year and was elevated to the 4-A the following season, was 45-26 in his three seasons.

Greentree, who led Marshall to the 3-A championship in 1985-86, said he was satisfied that he put Chatsworth on the map and says the team will contend for a 4-A title next season.

“I think we upgraded the basketball program,” he said. “Before, it was always North Hollywood and North Hollywood (in the Valley). Now it’s North Hollywood and Chatsworth.”

Several key players return, including Isaiah Thomas, Tarik Hill, Jerome Joseph and Miller.

“They’ll be as good as any team in the City,” Greentree said. “Including Crenshaw.”