Brea Olinda’s Lloyd Gets an Early Start

In his desk, or his briefcase or in his office at home--he never really has said where--Brea Olinda boys’ basketball Coach Gene Lloyd keeps his secret predictions.

As a physical education instructor at the city’s only junior high school, he has a good idea of what type of basketball players will matriculate to the high school. Each year, as another class of eighth-graders is promoted, he gears his predictions accordingly.

So it was no surprise he predicted the 1996-97 Wildcat season could be one of the best in school history.

To be sure, the steady, sure-handed Lloyd, Times Orange County boys’ basketball coach of the year, had a lot to do with that success. First, he built the feeder system that supplies the high school, then he led the Wildcats on a record-setting spree that included another Orange League title and school records for most victories in a season (26) and most consecutive victories (20). The Wildcats advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Section Division II-A playoffs, where they lost a nail-biter to Lakewood Artesia, 66-65.

Lloyd considers himself a die-hard disciple of John Wooden. Lloyd is critical of high school showcase games, although he reluctantly says he thinks they are here to stay. He has been criticized for staying on the hill during the nonleague season and not venturing into Orange County more to play some of the its top teams.

Lloyd says the criticism is all poppycock. You can’t argue with his success, a point Lloyd isn’t afraid to make in his behalf.

“We’ve had 16 years with at least 19 wins a year,” Lloyd said. “I feel like we have had one of the more consistent programs in the county.”

Brea Olinda has won three of the last four Orange League titles and Lloyd, who just completed his 16th season at Brea, has a 310-129 record, 432-230 overall. Lloyd has been chosen to coach the North squad in the Orange County boys’ all-star basketball game April 19.

“He was a great leader for us. He has so much experience,” Brea’s all-county guard, Sean Wink, said. “He really helped us. Sometimes we had problems in the first half and he would make adjustments that really fixed them.”

Assistant Coach Bobby Terry, who played for Lloyd for two seasons in the mid-1980s, says Lloyd doesn’t think like the old-timer he makes himself out to be.

“He has learned a lot from experience, like the right things to say and when to say it and when to try new things and when not to,” Terry said.

Wink, a two-time Orange League player of the year, agreed. He said in each of his four varsity seasons under Lloyd, the coach was always tinkering with things. As the game’s tempo picked up, Wink said Lloyd told the team to run more, rather than play a half-court game. In 1995-96 that resulted in a 24-3 record, highest winning percentage in school history. This season, Wink said, the coach turned the Wildcats loose.

“Most say he is old-fashioned,” Wink said. “But we were faster this year. It was a real style change from before.”