Cavaliers also lose its No. 1 supporter, Alf Burke, 92
Serra High head boys’ basketball coach Dwan Hurt was more than just a mentor for the Cavaliers.
He was also the dean of students for the past several years at Serra and was known for his outstanding ability in disciplining both his players and the rest of the student body.
Just a week before the Cavaliers, who won the CIF-Southern Section Division IVAA championship last season, were to start their season at Inglewood High, Hurt died in his sleep on Nov. 25 at the age of 53.
Cavaliers also lose its No. 1 supporter, Alf Burke, 92
Serra High head boys’ basketball coach Dwan Hurt was more than just a mentor for the Cavaliers.
He was also the dean of students for the past several years at Serra and was known for his outstanding ability in disciplining both his players and the rest of the student body.
Just a week before the Cavaliers, who won the CIF-Southern Section Division IVAA championship last season, were to start their season at Inglewood High, Hurt died in his sleep on Nov. 25 at the age of 53.
In his 27 seasons as head mentor, Hurt guided Serra to 16 league titles, eight CIF-Southern Section crowns and two California state championships.
After graduating from Serra in 1981, Hurt went on to play basketball at El Camino and L.A. Harbor Community Colleges, before his final two seasons at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash. He was a reserve guard to eventual National Basketball Association Hall of Famer John Stockton but Hurt started in half of Gonzaga’s games as a junior and 25 of the 28 contests as a senior.
In 1987, Hurt returned to Serra High as an assistant to George McDaniel. After McDaniel stepped down two years later, Hurt was promoted to head coach. He continued the success of Serra boys’ basketball during his 27 seasons that included state championships in 1993 (Division IV) and 2010 (Division III).
Hurt’s death was the second over a 10-day period in Serra High’s somber November. On Nov. 15, Serra’s No. 1 fan, Alfred Burke passed away at the age of 92 at Torrance Memorial Hospital. Burke attended various Serra High athletic events, especially football, basketball and baseball, where one would hear his famous saying, “Let’s go Serra!”
St. Catherine-Labour Church in North Torrance hosted both of their funerals two weeks apart. It was the day after Hurt’s death on Nov. 26 was the service for Burke.
At Hurt’s funeral earlier this month, announcements were made that the Serra gymnasium will be renamed the Dwan Hurt Memorial Gymnasium and a seat that Burke sat in at Serra’s Athletic Stadium will be the Burke Memorial Seat.
Both will be missed at Serra but many will feel the spirit of Burke and Hurt all over the Gardena Catholic school campus.
