We regretfully announce the resignation of our Head Coach Jeff Alvin Viernes of the Malaysia Men’s Basketball National Team, effective March 15, 2023. The resignation has been tendered by Coach Jeff, who has expressed his desire to continue his full-time career as a basketball player in the Philippines and spend time with his family.
We understand and respect Coach Jeff’s decision and appreciate the dedication and hard work he has put in during his tenure. His contributions to the growth and development of Malaysian basketball have been significant, and we thank him for his service.
In the meantime, we are pleased to announce that we have identified a suitable replacement for the Head Coach position. Yong Kian Ann from Johor has been appointed as the new Head Coach, effective immediately, and coach Lee Kheng Tian has been appointed as the Chief Coach.
Coach Yong brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role, having previously served as the Head Coach of the U18 national youth team, which finished 2nd in the 2014 SEABA Under-18 Championship and 7th in the 2014 Asia Under-18 Championship. Coach Yong also helped the Johor Southern Tigers finished as first runners-up in last season’s Malaysia Basketball League (MBL).
Coach Yong will guide the national team in their preparations for the upcoming Cambodia SEA Games. We are confident that under his leadership, the team will continue to perform at the highest level. We would like to extend our warmest welcome to Coach Yong and wish him all the best in his new role.
Once again, we would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Viernes for his service to Malaysian basketball, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
We look forward to continuing to work together to elevate Malaysian basketball to greater heights.
