Chris Finch (basketball)

Chris Finch (born November 6, 1969^[1]) is an American former professional basketball player, and a current associate head basketball coach for the Denver Nuggets.^[2] He was previously an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).^[3]

Playing career

College

Finch is a 1992 graduate of Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, where he was an NCAA Division III All-American in 1991 and 1992.^[4] In 1991, as one of the best defenders in the nation's third division, he helped lead the F&M Diplomats to the NCAA Division III championship game in Springfield, Ohio, where the team lost to Wisconsin-Platteville. Finch ranks among the school's all-time leaders in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.^[5]

Pro career

Finch began his playing career in England, with the Sheffield Forgers (now known as the Sheffield Sharks) of the then second-tier of British basketball, the National Basketball League. Before the 1994-95 season, Finch and Sheffield moved into the first-tier of British basketball, the British Basketball League.

Coaching career

Sheffield Sharks

Finch started his head coaching career in England, with the Sheffield Sharks of the British Basketball League, the same team that he played on during his pro playing career. He led them to several titles during his tenure, making the franchise the most successful in league history. After winning the regular season title with Sheffield in the 1998-99 season, he was named the BBL Coach of the Year.^[1]

Gießen 46ers

He then moved to Germany for a fresh challenge, where he was the head coach of the Gießen 46ers, in the German Basketball Bundesliga. The team had a horrible year, and Finch was fired, after having a record of 4-13, with the team being on the verge of relegation.

Euphony Bree

After his unsuccessful time in Germany, Finch moved to Belgium, where he was the head coach of Euphony Bree. He led Bree to their first and only Belgian Basketball League championship in 2005.^[6]

Dexia Mons-Hainaut

In 2007, Finch moved to Bree's Belgian Basketball League rivals, Dexia Mons-Hainaut, bringing several players with him. With Finch in charge, Dexia Mons-Hainaut reached the final of the EuroChallenge 2007-08, where they lost to BK Barons Riga by a single point.^[7]

Rio Grande Valley Vipers

In 2009, Finch became the head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, of the NBA D-League. Under Finch, the Vipers went 34-16, finishing in first place in the Western Conference, and earned the franchise's first playoff berth. In the playoffs, the Vipers beat both Reno and Austin in 3 games, and swept Tulsa in the Finals to earn the franchise's first championship. Finch was named the D-League Coach of Year.^[8]

British national team

Finch also coached the senior men's British national team at the EuroBasket 2009, EuroBasket 2011, and the 2012 Summer Olympics. He resigned after his team was eliminated from the Olympics.^[9]

References

1. 1 2 Britball.com Chris Finch (Coach) Sheffield Sharks.
2. ↑ Morton, Jeffrey (2016-08-18). "Podcast: Tim Connelly discusses 2016-17 Nuggets offseason". Denver Stiffs. Retrieved 2016-08-18. 
3. ↑ NBA.com Vipers Tap Chris Finch as New Head Coach.
4. ↑ Godiplomats.com F&M Basketball All-Americans.
5. ↑ Godiplomats.com Christopher Finch '92 Induction Year: 2002 Sport(s): Basketball.
6. ↑ Finch Named Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year.
7. ↑ Monshainaut.be Club History. Archived October 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
8. ↑ Great Britain's Chris Finch named coach of the year.
9. ↑ "Olympics basketball: GB men's coach Chris Finch resigns". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 16 September 2012.