The boys’ varsity basketball team will continue to pursue Harvard-Westlake career win number 600 for head coach Greg Hilliard after suffering a 75-67 defeat to Alemany Friday night and a 67-50 loss to Chaminade Jan. 15.

The Wolverines fell behind early in both games –  they could not mount a run against the Eagles, who entered Wednesday’s matchup with momentum off an upset victory over Loyola last week, and while the Wolverines were able to claw their way back against the Warriors tonight by taking the lead at the end of the third quarter, they could not hang on. Now 9-9 on the season and 2-3 in league, the Wolverines will try again against Loyola themselves in the storied rivalry’s return to Taper Gymnasium Jan. 24.

Hilliard has accrued 599 victories during his 29-year tenure at Harvard-Westlake and 734 total wins as a head basketball coach, having served as a coach in Oregon prior to joining the Wolverines. Hilliard’s win tally has encompassed nine CIF titles and two State Championships for the boys’ basketball team.

“The six-hundredth win will mean no more to me than number ten, one hundred twenty four, four hundred thirty three, etc.,” Hilliard said. “It will, however, remind me how long I have been doing this coaching thing.  But, by the way, in all those wins, I don’t remember making a single shot or assisting on one from the bench.  Players won those games and I just tried to help in small ways.”