RICHMOND, Ky. – Former Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball player Michael Haney has been named the head coach of the Goldfields Giants in Australia’s professional State Basketball League (SBL).
Haney played for the Colonels from 2001 to 2005. He capped his career by helping Eastern win the 2005 Ohio Valley Conference Championship and nearly upset Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
The 6-foot-6 forward from Madisonville, Kentucky earned first team All-OVC honors as a senior after averaging 13 points and eight rebounds per game. He scored 1,289 career points, 14th most in program history. He also ranks sixth in steals (154), eighth in rebounds (783) and eighth in field goal percentage (55 percent).
Haney played 141 games for the Goldfields Giants over six seasons as a professional. He served the last three seasons as an assistant coach while playing parts of 2012 and 2014.
“I’m very excited about finally having an opportunity to be a head coach,” Haney said. “I have a deep passion for this game and can’t wait to develop my own style and bring a new, fresh attitude to this club.”
Haney was a member of the 20th Anniversary Giants Team in 2012 and was a member of the club’s only two championship squads in 2007 and 2008. He averaged 11.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists while playing in 11 games last season. He contributed 17.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists while playing in 13 games during the 2012 season.
The Giants are based in the West Australian regional city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The State Basketball League season runs from March to September. The Giants were 5-21 last season and finished last in the 14-team league.
Former Colonels Alonzo Hird and Darnell Dialls also played for the Giants.
Eastern Kentucky will play at IUPUI on Saturday. Tip-off in Indianapolis is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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