Hurt Will Remain at Serra High

Calling it one of the toughest decisions he has ever made, Dwan Hurt turned down an offer to become a part-time assistant at UC Santa Barbara and will remain the boys’ basketball coach at Serra High in Gardena.

Hurt, who guided Serra to the State Division IV title last season, made his decision Thursday after meeting with Serra Athletic Director Tim Boyer and Art Hernandez, the school’s new principal.

“After meeting with Dr. Hernandez and knowing what direction he would like to see the school go in, I realized this is the place for me,” Hurt said.

Santa Barbara offered Hurt the job Thursday morning. Later in the day, he told Gaucho Coach Jerry Pimm that he was staying at Serra.

“It was hard for me to turn down Coach Pimm, knowing how strongly he wanted me there,” Hurt said. “To me, he’s one of the best coaches in all of college basketball. I would have learned a lot from him.”

Hurt, 30, said it was equally difficult breaking the news to Santa Barbara assistant Ben Holland, a friend who was a graduate assistant at Gonzaga when Hurt played basketball there after a standout career at Serra.

“(Holland) was the one who really pushed me for the job,” Hurt said. “It was difficult talking to him (Thursday) night, but he made me feel at ease.”

Hurt said the challenge of repeating as state champion and the closeness of Serra’s team are reasons he is staying. Although the Cavaliers return no starters from last season’s 26-7 team, they return several talented players and have added 6-foot-6 guard Rick Price, a transfer from St. Anthony who is considered one of the West Coast’s top college prospects.