South Dragons snare Brian Goorjian as coach
South Dragons snare Brian Goorjian as coach Article from: Herald Sun Grantley Bernard April 01, 2008 12:00am SOUTH Dragons have snared Brian Goorjian as their coach. The NBL club announced today it had signed the NBL's most successful coach for three seasons Guy Molloy, who took over as interim head coach when Shane Heal and the Dragons split late last season, will stay on as assistant coach to Goorjian, reprising a partnership that worked so well with the South East Melbourne Magic and Victoria Titans. Goorjian is overseas as part of his role as the national men's coach and will return to Melbourne later this month to start work at the Dragons. He said in a statement today: "I am delighted to be returning to Melbourne, where my career began as an NBL head coach. "I was impressed by the passion, energy and focus of the Dragons ownership group ... and that was a key selling point for me,'' Goorjian said. "This is an exciting time for the club as we prepare for the third season of South Dragons basketball and I look forward to working closely with owners Mark Cowan and Raphael Geminder at building a program that can be a force in this league for many years to come.'' "It is a challenge and I am genuinely excited." Club chairman Cowan said Goorjian's appointment was a massive boost for the Dragons. "This is a significant coup for our club and I am sure Brian's arrival will be a turning point in our on court fortunes,'' Cowan said. As soon as Heal and the Dragons parted, Goorjian became the club's No. 1 target and he eventually opened the door last week when he split with the Sydney Kings after six seasons, five grand finals and three championships won consecutively in his first three seasons. The return of Goorjian to Melbourne, where he coached for 15 seasons before heading to the Kings, will be a massive boon for the Dragons, who finished on the bottom of the NBL ladder last season and are looking to make a major impact on-court in the next three seasons. There is no question, Goorjian, who is in Europe in his role as Boomers coach, is the man the Dragons need to make the franchise prosper. His presence will help the club recruit some of the best Australian talent on offer. It would not be unrealistic to think Kings free agents Mark Worthington and Jason Smith could follow Goorjian to the Dragons. His presence is also expected to have a positive effect on the futures of the Dragons' national team aspirants Joe Ingles and Jacob Holmes. A veteran of 21 NBL seasons and five championships, Goorjian will be the Dragons' third coach after Mark Price and Heal. He will have an immediate impact, creating a strong culture and work ethic among the players, while lifting the level of professionalism and expectation. The only query over the appointment is how much time Goorjian will be able to focus on the Dragons during the off-season while he prepares the Boomers for the Beijing Olympics.
South Dragons snare Brian Goorjian as coach Article from: Herald Sun Grantley Bernard April 01, 2008 12:00am SOUTH Dragons have snared Brian Goorjian as their coach. The NBL club announced today it had signed the NBL's most successful coach for three seasons Guy Molloy, who took over as interim head coach when Shane Heal and the Dragons split late last season, will stay on as assistant coach to Goorjian, reprising a partnership that worked so well with the South East Melbourne Magic and Victoria Titans. Goorjian is overseas as part of his role as the national men's coach and will return to Melbourne later this month to start work at the Dragons. He said in a statement today: "I am delighted to be returning to Melbourne, where my career began as an NBL head coach. "I was impressed by the passion, energy and focus of the Dragons ownership group ... and that was a key selling point for me,'' Goorjian said. "This is an exciting time for the club as we prepare for the third season of South Dragons basketball and I look forward to working closely with owners Mark Cowan and Raphael Geminder at building a program that can be a force in this league for many years to come.'' "It is a challenge and I am genuinely excited." Club chairman Cowan said Goorjian's appointment was a massive boost for the Dragons. "This is a significant coup for our club and I am sure Brian's arrival will be a turning point in our on court fortunes,'' Cowan said. As soon as Heal and the Dragons parted, Goorjian became the club's No. 1 target and he eventually opened the door last week when he split with the Sydney Kings after six seasons, five grand finals and three championships won consecutively in his first three seasons. The return of Goorjian to Melbourne, where he coached for 15 seasons before heading to the Kings, will be a massive boon for the Dragons, who finished on the bottom of the NBL ladder last season and are looking to make a major impact on-court in the next three seasons. There is no question, Goorjian, who is in Europe in his role as Boomers coach, is the man the Dragons need to make the franchise prosper. His presence will help the club recruit some of the best Australian talent on offer. It would not be unrealistic to think Kings free agents Mark Worthington and Jason Smith could follow Goorjian to the Dragons. His presence is also expected to have a positive effect on the futures of the Dragons' national team aspirants Joe Ingles and Jacob Holmes. A veteran of 21 NBL seasons and five championships, Goorjian will be the Dragons' third coach after Mark Price and Heal. He will have an immediate impact, creating a strong culture and work ethic among the players, while lifting the level of professionalism and expectation. The only query over the appointment is how much time Goorjian will be able to focus on the Dragons during the off-season while he prepares the Boomers for the Beijing Olympics.