Column: Brea Olinda’s Jeff Sink is The Times’ girls’ basketball coach of the year

Three years after returning to coaching girls’ basketball at Brea Olinda, 64-year-old Jeff Sink helped guide the Wildcats to a 10th state championship, his fifth.

Brea’s 64-51 win over Sacramento St. Francis in the Division I final showcased the qualities that make Sink so effective: his demand for execution on offense and defense; his insistence on finding the open player; his willingness to play young players with the hope they get better each game.

Sink has been selected the Los Angeles Times’ girls’ basketball coach of the year.

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Brea’s success this season might have been a result of Sink using four freshmen last season. That varsity experience paved the way for the sophomores to help the Wildcats earn state playoff victories over quality foes Mission Hills Alemany, Fullerton Troy and Vista Murrieta.

“The pressure was overwhelming and the road to get to the state final was hazardous,” he said.

It helped having an outstanding senior point guard, Reili Richardson, who was a leader on the court and someone Sink placed trust in.

Sink coached the Brea boys’ team for two years before moving back to the girls. Now in his 20th season, he’ll have to find more room in the gym for another state championship banner.

Follow Eric Sondheimer on Twitter @LATSondheimer