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WOODLAND HILLS — Taft boys basketball coach Derrick Taylor was swarmed by fans, students, players and parents after beating Birmingham 55-54 on Wednesday night.
It was Taylor’s 500th career win in 22 years of coaching, making the photos, hugs, gifts and congratulatory remarks all justified. But it was a lot for the coach.
“People who know me, they know I don’t like attention,” he said. “I don’t like compliments, accolades. In my house – I’ve won seven (CIF) titles – and you won’t find a ring. You won’t find anything.”
Taylor says he measures success not with a number but by seeing how his players mature as they move through a basketball program that he himself played in when he was younger.
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Birmingham’s Naseef Lubowa, #30, goes up for two points as Taft’s Adam Grissom, #24, defends on the play during second period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Kory Blunt, #12, and Taft’s Adam Grissom, #24, collide going after a rebound during second period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Peyton Waters, #13, goes up for two points as Taft’s Bishop Brooks, #0, and Alexander Bothast, #14, defend on the play during second period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Alex Dupre, #20, and Taft’s Adam Grissom, #24, go after a rebound during fourth period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft basketball coach Derrick Taylor gets his 500th coaching win as Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 at home Wednesday, February 1, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft’s Keyon Kensie Jr, #3, drives past Birmingham’s Peyton Waters, #13, during third period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Kory Blunt, #12, is fouled by Taft’s Adam Grissom, #24, during first period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Kory Blunt, #12, is fouled by Taft’s Alexander Bothast, #14, during first period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft’s Alexander Bothast, #14, can’t believe his eyes as his foul shot goes in during the final seconds of the game to help Taft defeat Birmingham 55-54 at home Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory with the win. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Tyson Jackson, #2, looks for a pass around Taft’s Jaden Depina, #4, during second period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft’s Bishop Brooks, #0, controls the ball as the seconds run out and Taft defeats Birmingham 55-54 at home Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory with the win. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Alex Dupre, #20, goes up for two points as Taft’s Alexander Bothast, #14, defends on the play during first period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft basketball coach Derrick Taylor gets his 500th coaching win as Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 at home Wednesday, February 1, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Tyson Jackson, #2, digs up the ball between Taft defender Aidan Kwon, #30, and Bishop Brooks, #0, during third period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Naseef Lubowa, #30, and Kory Blunt, #12, and Taft’s Gilad Ziegel, #12, go after a rebound during fourth period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft basketball coach Derrick Taylor gets his 500th coaching win as Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 at home Wednesday, February 1, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft’s Bishop Brooks, #0, shoots for two as Birmingham’s Tyson Jackson, #2, defends on the play during third period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft’s Keyon Kensie Jr, #3, pulls a rebound from Birmingham’s Caleb Newton, #11, during third period action at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Birmingham’s Tyson Jackson, #2, tries to get to scoring position as Taft’s Bishop Brooks, #0, and Aidan Kwon, #30, defend on the play in during the final seconds of the fourth period at Taft high Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Taft defeated Birmingham 55-54 and with the win coach Derrick Taylor chalked his 500th victory. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“He’s very loving and he cares about his players a lot,” Taft senior Keyon Kensie said. “If you need anything, all you have to do is call him and he’s there for you every time.”
Taft’s gym was filled for a West Valley League rivalry against the Patriots (18-8 overall, 8-1 West Valley League), who handed the Toreadors their only loss in league mid-January.
Taft (17-10, 8-1) was leading 43-40 heading into the fourth quarter and just barely holding off Birmingham, which seized rebounding opportunities to keep pace. Bishop Brooks hit a 3-pointer with 3:30 left in the game to give the Toreadors a 52-48 advantage.
The Patriots went on a brief run, but a free throw by Alexander Bothast gave Taft the one point it needed to wrap up the win.
“Play as a team,” Kensie said of the fourth-quarter message. “Not be selfish, don’t try to do anything crazy to get the crowed hyped. Just go out there and get the win.”
Kensie led Taft with 19 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter, and Brooks added 14 points. Naseef Lubową scored 16 points for Birmingham and Kory Blunt had 12 points.
Birmingham’s Caleb Newton brought the score to 17-16 in Taft’s favor at the buzzer after the Patriots had played catchup all through the first quarter. Newton then opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer to put the Patriots in the lead.
Taft beats Birmingham 55-54 to give coach Derrick Taylor his 500th win.
“I don’t know if that means I’m good or I’m just old,” he says. pic.twitter.com/4nJtCtDYaX
— Haley Sawyer (@haleymsawyer) February 2, 2023
Kensie got to the perimeter for a jumper, but was blocked as time expired for a 32-32 score at halftime. Taft outscored Birmingham 11-8 in the third quarter and took a 43-40 lead on a basket in the paint from Souljah Niles with 35 seconds left in the frame.
The fourth quarter brought everything full circle for Taylor, who started as a JV coach in 1987 and became the head varsity coach at Taft in 2000. He left in 2011 to coach at St. John Bosco and, four years later, he returned to Taft.
There were coaching offers from other schools, some with a hefty payday attached to them, according to Taylor, but coming back to Taft made just sense to him.
“You take pride in where you played and where you went to school,” Taylor said. “And that’s why it’s so big to me. There’s no way I could’ve won my 500th at some other place.”