LLOYD’S TENURE IN LONDON ENDS

London Lions have confirmed Nigel Lloyd is out as head coach.

The Barbadian, who had only held the role on a part-time basis along side his teaching job, will retain a development role at the BBL club but will be replaced by a full-time playcaller.

With a deal understood to be almost finalised for his replacement, the move comes as little surprise after internal criticism of the coaching set-up from minority shareholder Peter Sprogis last season.

“Nigel is and has been, a huge heartbeat to the Lions and has always given so much to the club,” said Lions’ chief executive Vince Macaulay. “A great record-breaking servant to the BBL as a player and subsequently as a coach. He’s given so much time to us and to the players and he’s done this whilst holding down a full time teaching job in Milton Keynes.

“We both feel the club now needs a full-time coach in order to take the team to the next level. London is a wonderful city with every possible distraction for players. So it’s really important now that we have someone who can be on the ground and readily available to all the players to aid in their development and keep them along the path to success.”

Head of the likely candidates to step in will be former Cheshire Phoenix coach John Coffino who came close to taking the role two years ago before Lloyd was appointed.

London, according to multiple sources, have also completed a deal to sign American power forward Demonte Flannigan out of Cleveland State University.

The Ohio native averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in his senior year.