Greg Hilliard

Greg Hilliard has toiled as a high-school coach for 20 years, and consistency has been his benchmark. Hilliard, 45, has averaged 14.9 victories a season. Not spectacular, but solid. Then along came 6-foot-10 twins Jason and Jarron Collins and a 1995 season in which the Wolverines finished 29-3 and earned a Southern Section Division III championship. Now Hilliard can cash in on all the years. Only two larger thrills have eluded Harvard-Westlake.

Over the past 12 seasons, Hilliard has compiled a 231-88 record and has led the Wolverines to two state Division III championships, seven league titles and eight playoff appearances. Four league titles came before the arrival of twins Jarron and Jason Collins.

Greg Hilliard has no delusions about his place in history. When Harvard-Westlake's fabulous four-year run is finished, Hilliard knows he will go back to being just another high school basketball coach. And that's just the way he wants it. All of which makes savoring the present so important. Harvard-Westlake, coached by Hilliard and led by twin towers Jarron and Jason Collins, arguably is the best high school basketball team ever in the Valley area.

Greg Hilliard has no delusions about his place in history. When Harvard-Westlake's fabulous four-year run is finished, Hilliard knows he will go back to being just another high school basketball coach. And that's just the way he wants it. All of which makes savoring the present so important. Harvard-Westlake, coached by Hilliard and led by twin towers Jarron and Jason Collins, arguably is the best high school basketball team ever in the Valley area.

At first, you think Greg Hilliard must be on Valium or something. The Harvard-Westlake High basketball coach sits quietly during games. A bad play by his team or questionable call by an official? He just winces and stares at his cowboy boots. You want to tell him to stand up, to yell. You want to remind him coach is also a verb. "I find that even if I'm standing up, my kids can't hear me sometimes," Hilliard says.

Over the past 12 seasons, Hilliard has compiled a 231-88 record and has led the Wolverines to two state Division III championships, seven league titles and eight playoff appearances. Four league titles came before the arrival of twins Jarron and Jason Collins.

Harvard-Westlake's victory over Campbell Hall on Monday was the 400th career win for Wolverine Coach Greg Hilliard. * Campbell Hall will be without top freshman guard Derrick Williams until at least January. Williams is academically ineligible.

Greg Hilliard of Harvard-Westlake and Mike Wagner of Reseda will coach the Southern Section and City Section boys' teams, respectively, in the Battle of the Valley Senior boys' and girls' all-star basketball games April 27 at Cal State Northridge. Burbank Burroughs' Doug Nicol heads the Southern Section girls' team and Michelle Chevalier of Sylmar will lead the City girls' squad.

It's natural for a team to suffer a letdown after clinching a league championship. But the Harvard-Westlake boys' team had a meltdown Monday night. The Wolverines' 10-game winning streak came to a screeching halt in a 70-50 Mission League loss to St. Francis. "I expected a letdown and expected us to be flat, but we had zero [emotion]," Coach Greg Hilliard said. "We had nothing from the start. The coaching staff and the team had been so [focused] on the winning streak, we let down our guard. St.

The Harvard-Westlake High boys' basketball team picked up where it left off with an 81-55 nonleague victory over Antelope Valley on Monday night at Harvard-Westlake. Seniors Jason and Jarron Collins, beginning their fourth varsity season, led the Wolverines with 18 and 13 points, respectively. Senior guards Rico Cabrera (14 points) and Ryan Smiley (12) also scored in double figures, and seven reserves scored.

Greg Hilliard has toiled as a high-school coach for 20 years, and consistency has been his benchmark. Hilliard, 45, has averaged 14.9 victories a season. Not spectacular, but solid. Then along came 6-foot-10 twins Jason and Jarron Collins and a 1995 season in which the Wolverines finished 29-3 and earned a Southern Section Division III championship. Now Hilliard can cash in on all the years. Only two larger thrills have eluded Harvard-Westlake.

At first, you think Greg Hilliard must be on Valium or something. The Harvard-Westlake High basketball coach sits quietly during games. A bad play by his team or questionable call by an official? He just winces and stares at his cowboy boots. You want to tell him to stand up, to yell. You want to remind him coach is also a verb. "I find that even if I'm standing up, my kids can't hear me sometimes," Hilliard says.

As if playing a San Fernando Valley League basketball game at Notre Dame High was not a sufficient challenge Tuesday night, Harvard had to conquer another obstacle--playing without its flu-stricken leader, Rick Osterloh. The Saracens compensated for Osterloh's missing firepower--he is averaging 22 points a game--and defeated the Knights, 72-68. Although Harvard (13-2 overall, 2-0 in league play) is off to a fine start, respectability is slow in coming.

BOYS' BASKETBALL * Bryce Taylor, North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake: Scored 25 points to give Coach Greg Hilliard his 500th career win for the No. 15 Wolverines in a 95-79 Mission League win over Mission Hills Alemany. * Christian Smith, Harbor City Narbonne: Had 44 points, making nine of 13 three-point shots, in a 82-56 Marine League victory over Gardena. BOYS' SOCCER * Mark Arujo, Etiwanda: Scored both goals in a 2-2 tie against No.