Coaching Is Child’s Play for the Hills

Marc Hill, whose father won more high school football games than any other Orange County coach, picked up his 300th victory Saturday when the sixth-ranked Esperanza girls’ basketball team defeated No. 10 Rosary, 52-50.

Just as he followed the same path as his father, Dick Hill, as an educator and coach, Marc Hill’s daughter, Heidi, has done the same thing.

“Last season, she came up to me with tears in her eyes and said, ‘Would you be disappointed in me if I stopped playing basketball?’ ” Hill said of his daughter, who was a freshman at Fullerton College at the time but had played for Esperanza the previous season. “I told her, ‘Of course not.’

“Then she said, ‘I’d like to coach with you.’ It made me very proud. You try to instill certain things in your daughter, and you suddenly see them reflected back at you.

“Last year, she coached right out of high school and the [Esperanza frosh-soph] team went 18-3, and this year they’re 12-3, and two of their losses were in a JV tournament.”

In 18 seasons as a girls’ basketball coach, Marc Hill’s record is 300-159. In his first two seasons as a coach, though, he directed freshman boys’ teams at La Habra and Sunny Hills.

“One thing I’m proud of, everyone always asked me when I was going to coach boys,” Hill said. “I decided about 10 years ago that I was going to stay with the girls’ program. I wanted to make a stand that girls are just as important as boys. I really believe in equal rights for girls in athletics. Girls sports has come so far in 20 years.”

Hill ranks third among county coaches in victories behind Fountain Valley’s Carol Strausburg (362-239) and Woodbridge’s Eric Bangs (325-89).

THE LITTLE SCHOOL THAT COULD

Twenty-five boys attend Tarbut V’Torah High in Irvine. Twelve are on the basketball team.

The Lions (14-2), a third-year team playing a freelance schedule, need only two more victories to clinch a Southern Section Division V-A playoff berth.

“I think when we started last year our kids didn’t even know what CIF was,” said Lion Coach Patrick Roberts, the former Mission Viejo coach who took over at Tarbut V’Torah last season. “They sure do now.”

Roberts took a team that was 1-19 the season before to 13-8 last season, making the playoffs but losing in the first round to San Marino Southwestern Academy.

This season, the Lions, ranked 10th in their division, are in position to take things a step further. Roberts’ goals include winning 18 games and hosting a first-round playoff game--both distinct possibilities.

Tarbut V’Torah is led by junior forwards Noam Dashti (15.3 points, 13 rebounds per game) and Tanner Bral (15.8 and 9.9). Junior guard David Eghbali averages 7.3 assists.

SECTION SEARCH

Southern Section officials are expected to interview candidates for the vacant job of assistant commissioner Tuesday. The selection is supposed to be announced two days later.

In the past, the person in the position has been primarily responsible for administering the sport of basketball.

Among those who have applied are La Quinta Athletic Director Jim Perry, a former basketball coach who was one of five people considered for the section commissioner’s job last year, and Jerry Halpin, Los Alamitos vice principal.

DEDICATION FRIDAY

Edison will name its gym after longtime Coach Dave Mohs, who died of cancer in 1996, in a ceremony at halftime of the boys’ basketball game against Marina Friday.

Mohs coached the Charger boys’ basketball and girls’ volleyball teams at different times from 1969-94.

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If you have an item or idea for the prep basketball report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at martin.henderson@latimes.com or paul.mcleod@latimes.com or ben.bolch@latimes.com

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Staff writers Ben Bolch and Paul McLeod contributed to this report.