Leichner and Vear take up the reins with GB’s U20 side

University of Maine associate head coach Douglas Leichner has been chosen to lead the charge of Great Britain’s Under 20 squad at the Division B European Championship in July.

Leichner spent eight years in the role with the Black Bears, but will also be known closer to this isles predominantly from his spell in 2008-09 as head coach with UCC Demons in Cork.

The Demons captured an elusive treble for the first time in Irish basketball history becoming the SuperLeague Southern Conference Champions, the 2009 Irish National Cup Champions as well as the SuperLeague Champions. Following this, Leichner was named SuperLeague Coach of the Year, Eurobasket.com Ireland Coach of the Year and Streetball Ireland Coach of the Year.

Also within that side were names such as Colin O’Reilly and Jerrah Young, both of whom played together with Cheshire Jets the following season.

Having already that European experience is a huge plus, but the bonus comes in his assistant – James Vear, fresh from spending a year in Canada at University of Dalhousie, which itself was off the back of his role as head coach at Medway Park Crusaders.