Worcester Wolves head coach will leave the club following it’s withdrawal from the British Basketball League.

The club announced on Tuesday afternoon the Matt Newby is to leave as the club prepare to focus solely on the National Basketball League.

Under Newby the team won the BBL Cup in 2020 and were contending for the league championship before the pandemic brought the season to a premature end.

Reflecting on his time at the club Newby said: “Upon my arrival at the Arena I was entrusted with making an impact after Worcester had experienced several tough seasons. I will always be thankful for that opportunity and the chance to be back on the floor in the BBL.

“It is with genuine sadness that this journey has come an end and I fully appreciate the backdrop and context of the very tough decisions the management had to make.”

He continued: “I would like to thank the management, administration and support staff for their support throughout my tenure and wish to highlight the professionalism and work ethic of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 Wolves players who faced at times unparalleled challenges due to the backdrop of Covid 19 with incredible maturity and dignity.

“Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge the fan base, who embraced me and my family with open arms from the start. There are some very special memories from the past two seasons and some incredible highs and lows which invariable come as part of the course in the sporting domain.

“I will genuinely miss the atmosphere, passion and desire of the Wolfpack and Friday nights at the Arena. I want to wish the Worcester Wolves and the Basketball program all the very best in the future as they continue to develop their basketball program”.

Managing Director Mick Donovan shared his thought on the head coach’s departure.

He said: “Matt had a really positive impact throughout the club during his short time with us. His attention to detail and creative coaching style ensured that the Wolves BBL team were both entertaining and effective.

“He clearly has a great future in the game and on behalf of the Worcester Wolves – we would like to sincerely thank him for his outstanding contribution and wish him well and all the very best for the future.”

Worcester Wolves will have a men’s and the women’s team in the National Basketball Leagues alongside a Wheelchair Basketball team in the High-Performance Pathway during the upcoming season.