KEY POINTS:
Australian Leigh Gooding has been appointed coach of the new Christchurch-based Australian Women's National Basketball League team and assistant coach of the New Zealand women's team.
Gooding, 36, was toured Japan with the Tall Ferns last month and actually guided them in their final game after head coach Mike McHugh returned home early to attend a Sparc conference.
He will also travel with the Black Ferns to China tonight for a four-nation tournament.
"Leigh has a long background in the game," McHugh said.
"He comes from a well-known basketball family in Australia, so we knew he had good knowledge and cared about the game."
Gooding has worked on development programmes in Newcastle and Albury, and most recently was assistant coach with the Nunawading men's team in the South East Australia Basketball League.
His four-year stint as assistant coach at Australian NBL side West Sydney Razorbacks -- under former Basketball New Zealand coaching director Gordie McLeod -- probably won him the New Zealand job.
"We spoke to Gordie about him and his response was, if he had the opportunity, Leigh would be the first guy he'd hire again," McHugh said.
"That was a very strong recommendation.
"The fact he has been around national league clubs will be important for the development of the Christchurch franchise and he will know how things should run."
- NZPA
