The Rizing Fukuoka on Thursday handed the coaching reins to Tomohiro Moriyama, who steered the Shimane Susanoo Magic to the playoffs after a disastrous start last season.
The 31-year-old Moriyama replaces veteran mentor Joe Bryant, the now-defunct Tokyo Apache's original bench boss, on the Rizing sideline.
After playing their last regular-season game on April 26, Fukuoka management issued no public statements about Bryant's status or the team's coaching plans for the bj-league's 11th and final season until the announcement that Moriyama will take over. (Bryant was a midseason replacement for the Rizing.)