Basketball: Arsego to leave Breakers at end of season

UPDATE - Coach Frank Arsego will leave the New Zealand Breakers at the end of the season, the Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) club announced today.

Chairman Keith Ward said in a statement Arsego would complete the current season as head coach.

But a "mutual and amicable agreement" had been reached with Arsego that would see a new head coach recruited in the off-season, Ward added.


Arsego has been under increasing pressure at the under-performing Auckland-based franchise who finally broke a string of six consecutive losses with a 106-92 win against West Sydney at the weekend.


The victory, only the Breakers' second in 12 away games, gives them an 8-19 win-loss ratio and a chance to overtake the Razorbacks and Cairns Taipans who both have 9-18 records.


Arsego, who started as assistant coach last year, inherited the head coach's job from Jeff Green who was sacked in November following what the club indicated was unacceptable courtside behaviour.


"We have enormous respect for Frank and he will always be a valued friend of the club," Ward said.


"We are pleased that he will complete this season and he is committed to finishing the year on a positive note."


No individual had contributed more to the development of the Breakers in their short history than Arsego but "both parties accept that results on the court are critical to the development of the club and something needs to change," Ward said.


Arsego was not a scapegoat for the team's poor win-loss record this season.


"There will be accountability at various levels in the organisation and Frank's input into the reasons behind the results will be a major factor in this."


The search for a new coach would commence shortly so that the recruitment of players for the coming season could begin.


"We expect a strong field of applicants and we will be talking to as many parties as possible," Ward said.


- NZPA