Taylor Resigns as Coach at Harvard-Westlake

Coach Brian Taylor, who led Harvard-Westlake High to the state Division III girls’ basketball final in 1999, has resigned.

He will continue to serve as the school’s associate director of admissions and teach middle school technology.

“There was just too much pressure wearing three hats at the school,” said Taylor, The Times’ 1998-99 coach of the year. “They originally hired me for the admissions department, not to coach.”

When Taylor took over in 1996, he inherited a program that had never won a playoff game.

Under his watch, the Wolverines became a region power, going 100-28 in four seasons and capturing three Mission League championships.

Harvard-Westlake was 22-9 last season and advanced to the state playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Taylor, the 1972-73 ABA rookie of the year with the New Jersey Nets, said he will focus more on his family.

Daughter Terbrie, the oldest of his five children, will be a junior volleyball player for the Wolverines next season, and son Bryce is a promising basketball player who will be a freshman at Harvard-Westlake in the fall.