Four-time Agong Cup champions NS Matrix and the national men’s basketball team have been hit with a blow after head coach Brian Lester tendered his resignation on Saturday.
The 68-year-old Australian cited personal reasons.
It is a blow for Matrix as the wily trainer had guided them to four consecutive national titles.
Lester also assumed the role of national coach in 2018 after the Malaysia Basketball Association (Maba) handed over the reins of grooming the national team to Matrix.
Under his charge, Malaysia successfully got through the Southeast Asian regional qualifiers for the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup.
They eventually finished second in the Eastern region pre-qualifiers behind Guam to earn a spot in next month’s Asia Cup qualifiers.
“His assistants, Jeff Viernes and Lee Kheng Tian, will take charge until the Asia Cup qualifiers in February,” said Matrix and national team manager Richard Lim.
Malaysia are drawn in Group B with Asian giants China, Japan and Taiwan in the qualifiers.