It's the off-season news every southern basketball fan has been waiting for. Rob Beveridge is back as Head Coach of the SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks for the 2022 New Zealand National Basketball League season.
After guiding the Sharks into the Sal's NBL Final 4 this year with a 13-5 regular season record, the man affectionately known as Bevo has officially confirmed he will be back at the helm of the southern franchise next year.
"It is with much excitement that I have made an easy decision to return to Southland Sharks to re-sign as Head Coach for the 2022 season.
My first season in 2021 was amazing with such an incredible organisation and tremendous group of staff and players.
The professionalism of the club is as good as I have worked with in my career and it was a pleasure to coach such a committed group of men.
The way in which the fans, sponsors and community of Southland embraced me as part of their “family” was also a big factor for me to return to Invercargill.
I felt that we established very good foundations in 2021 by making the playoffs and narrowly losing the semi-final, but I believe that if we continue to work hard as an organisation to retain as many players as possible that we legitimately will put us in a good position to go one step further in 2022.
I can’t wait to get back to Invercargill as soon as possible to start working towards an exciting 2022 season," Beveridge said.
Sharks General Manager Jill Bolger was delighted to again secure Beveridge's services for next season.
"To have the confirmation that Bevo will be back in Invercargill for another season is the best possible news for all of us . I think we all saw first-hand what he can do both for the Sharks and the community as a whole this year and we really want to replicate that in 2022. Bevo is an outstanding individual in every way and this translates to all of us around him making ourselves better. I am very excited to begin the planning for the 2022 season knowing that he will be at the helm with our team again," she said.
The 2022 Sal's New Zealand NBL will tip off on April 7th 2022.
