January 27, 2025
The Montreal Alliance name Jermaine Small head coach
The Montréal Alliance announced Monday the appointment of Jermaine Small, a two-time CEBL champion and Coach of the Year with the Edmonton Stingers, as the team’s new head coach on a historic two-year contract.
Small, who boasts the highest winning percentage among head coaches in CEBL history (0.719), becomes the third head coach in franchise history and the first to sign a multi-year deal. The Alliance decided not to renew the contract of Derrick Alston Sr. who has served as the team’s head coach since 2023.
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Small arrives in Montréal with one of the most impressive records in CEBL history. In four seasons with Edmonton, he maintained a 37-14 regular season record and 4-2 playoff record, leading the Stingers to two championships (2020, 2021) and three consecutive CEBL Final appearances. During his time in Edmonton, Small notably coached three-time CEBL MVP Xavier Moon, who subsequently advanced to play in the NBA.
“Bringing Jermaine Small to Montréal on a two-year commitment aligns perfectly with our long-term vision,” states Joel Anthony, General Manager and co-owner of the Alliance. “With his experience and understanding of our league, I’m confident he will help build and maintain a team that Montréal will be proud to support.”
“I am honored to join the Montréal Alliance,” states Small. “This city has a rich basketball history and an impressive talent pool. I’m excited to work with Joel Anthony and the entire organization to build something special here.”
Small spent three seasons as the head coach of the University of Lethbridge and was most recently coaching in the Japanese B League.
A Toronto native, Small is already familiar with Québec’s basketball landscape, having studied at Vanier College in Montréal.
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Small succeeds Derrick Alston Sr., who led the team for two seasons (2023-2024). He becomes the third head coach in franchise history, following Vincent Lavandier (2022) and Alston Sr.
“On behalf of the entire organization, I want to thank Derrick for his contributions to the Montréal Alliance,” said Joel Anthony. “Derrick played an important role in establishing the foundation of our franchise during its early years, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
