Boys’ basketball players at Mission Bay High School (MBHS) confirm that coach Dennis Kane not only teaches basketball, he also teaches about life. That’s probably because he’s seen it all in 25-plus years of coaching. Kane’s resume is extensive. For the last seven years he has held the whistle at MBHS. Prior to his Bucs stint, he coached for 17 years at San Diego High School. He brought both programs from zero to heroes. In the mid-1980s, Kane took over the San Diego High School program that won three games in five years. “My first year we went 0-19,” Kane said. “So I had lost more in one year than I did in my previous four years as a JV coach at Kearny. “I go over there, and it’s like the animals are running the farm, ” he said. “In three years, we are playing for the CIF Championship.” The same story rings true at MBHS. The Bucs won just two games under Kane’s first-year direction. Four years later, they won the CIF championship. Kane’s career hasn’t all been marked with glory though. He brought San Diego High School accolades on the court but didn’t have control over many circumstances. “I had everything from a guy who went to jail for murder to a guy who graduated from UCSD with a degree in economics in three years, and everything in between,” Kane said. Through it all, Kane stays consistent. He teaches his players that talent without discipline is a waste and encourages players by providing a clear path. “If this is your dream, then this is what you have to do,” Kane said.