Herrick Longs for Challenge, Quits as Coach at Cleveland

Greg Herrick announced his resignation as head coach of Cleveland High’s basketball team Tuesday, saying he had accomplished his goals and needed to move on.

Herrick, 32, said he made the decision a couple of weeks ago.

“I’m a goal-oriented person,” he said at a press conference in the Cavaliers’ gym. “I need to be challenged.”

According to Herrick, his primary achievement was making Cleveland a respected name in basketball circles.

Herrick said he is looking into the possibility of becoming an assistant coach at some college, but has nothing lined up. He also said he might pursue some business opportunities.

In six years, Herrick’s teams won 98 games and lost 42. He won four league championships and the City 3-A title in 1981 and 1982. This season, the Cavaliers went 22-2, losing to Banning in the second round of the City 4-A playoffs.

Bob Braswell, an assistant coach, probably will be named the new head coach. Herrick said that even though he is leaving, Trevor Wilson will not play for Cleveland next year.

On Monday, Herrick said he had dismissed Wilson, a two-time All-City forward, for disregarding the team philosophy.

“I didn’t want to leave Braswell with the (Wilson) situation,” Herrick said. “I wanted Braswell to start clean.

“I didn’t make the decision alone. Braswell and me both decided to let him go.”

Herrick told the team and reporters simultaneously about his resignation. He read from a prepared statement and thanked several of his players from the past. But in talking about this season’s team, he did not mention Wilson. The 6-7 junior was named third-team Parade Magazine All-American at the end of the season.

With Herrick gone, Wilson could be reinstated by Braswell.

“Braswell can make up his own mind. I’m not his guru,” Herrick said. “But we think the program is better off without him. I have no animosity toward Trevor. But he thinks the rules don’t apply to him.”

Herrick is hoping that Wilson, The Times’ Valley Player of the Year, will learn a lesson from the incident.

“A lot of schools that would have recruited him will not now,” Herrick said. Several times this year, Herrick has said Wilson would be one of the most highly recruited players in the nation next season.

While Wilson’s status for next year is uncertain, so is Herrick’s.

He is a tenured social studies teacher at Bowman High, a continuation school in Canyon Country. Herrick said he expects to stay at that job through 1986.

“I’m looking forward to the mystery of what the future holds for me,” Herrick said.

He said he doubted he would return to high school coaching, “but you never say never.”

The 1984-85 Cavaliers were highly ranked in the City all season. They entered the playoffs seeded No. 2 behind Crenshaw after going undefeated in the Valley 4-A League.

At one point, Herrick said the team could be among the finest teams ever assembled in California history. Despite winning most of their games by 20 points or more, the Cavaliers never played up to their potential, according to Herrick.

That frustrated the coach and made for a long season. Cleveland fans expected a showdown with Crenshaw, but Banning upset those plans.

“The past season was not a factor in my decision,” Herrick said. “You have to take the good with the bad.”

Still, the season showed Herrick that he needed to do something else.

“I knew in every game, except in maybe three, that we were gonna win, and by big margins,” he said. “What challenge is that? I wasn’t even scouting some teams.

“I’m happy with the decision. I’m sure I shocked a lot of people. My wife was shocked and so was Braswell. But it’s time to move on.”