By Aram Tolegian, SGVN twitter.com/ChemicalAT
Marc Hart, the head coach basketball coach, who led Baldwin Park High School’s boys basketball program to its best season in 2010, has been named the new head coach at South Hills, replacing long-time coach Paul Reed.

Hart spent nine seasons combined at Baldwin Park and rung up a 116-116 overall record.

But over the past four years, the Braves went 73-38 under Hart. Baldwin Park won 24 games in 2010, finished second in the Valle Vista League and advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs in 2010. It was the best season in school history and Hart was named the Tribune’s Coach of the Year.

“My goal was to build Baldwin Park into a respectable program and to be around a top-10 team in Valley every year and it has become that,” Hart said. “I don’t think I can advance it any further than it’s gone with the resources that are there.

“I’m leaving behind a really good team. There was no pressure to win when I first took over and they let me grow as a person and a coach. It wasn’t easy, but over the past four years, it’s paid off. I was really happy they allowed me to be their head coach.”

At South Hills, Hart will face an entirely different set of challenges, namely the Sierra League. Banging with teams like Damien, Ayala and Chino Hills has been no easy task for the Huskies and Hart knows he will have to work harder than ever to have the Huskies competing for the league title.

“I’ve grown up in the area and I’ve always admired the athletic programs at South Hills,” Hart said. “They’ve always had a rich history in the Valley of turning out athletes. As a coach, we all have an ego and I thought it was a good opportunity, but it is a step up. But I think I’m up for the challenge. I needed a new challenge.”