It wasn’t on top of his to-do list, but with a little insistence Pasadena High School boys basketball coach Tim Tucker filled out the nomination form for an award.

It was Pasadena High principal Gilbert Barraza who handed Tucker the form, but it wasn’t until the final day it was due when Tucker finally sat down to fill it out.

Much to his surprise, Tucker was named boys basketball Southern Section Coach of the Year by the California Coaches Association.

Tucker, along with winners from soccer, water polo and wrestling, will be submitted as finalists for State Coach of the Year. The winner will be honored on June 9 at an awards ceremony at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego.

This award is separate from the All-CIF team selected by the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association, which named Tucker and Arroyo Grande’s Ryan Glanville co-coach of the year in Division 3AAA.

This season, Tucker led Pasadena to its 10th consecutive Pacific League and fifth CIF-SS title in school history, finishing with a 28-7 overall record and a No. 25 state-ranking.The Bulldogs also made an appearance in the regional semifinals of the CIF State Division III playoffs. He’s earned two CIF titles as a coach and two as a player, leading Pasadena to its first title in school history in 1977. That year, the Bulldogs also were named mythical national champions.

Tucker has been at the helm for 18 seasons and has compiled 363 career wins with a career-best 32-3 record in 2007.Orange Lutheran’s Chris Nordstrom, Calabasas’ Jonathan Palaraz and Mission Viejo’s Troy Roelen were the other finalists.

“Just to be mentioned is a shock to me,” said Tucker, whose received four Star-News Coach of the Year honors. “I’ve been CIF coach of the year in my division, but never the Southern Section coach of the year.”