The New Zealand Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis has been named coach of the year for the Australian National Basketball League.
Lemanis polled 53 votes to narrowly take out the Lindsay Gaze award from Aaron Fearne of the Cairns Taipans on 50 votes.
A former NBL player, Lemanis led the Breakers to their maiden title last year but controversially finished second to Trevor Gleeson (then of Townsville) in polling for the coaching honours.
After guiding the Breakers to their second straight minor premiership with a 21-7 record during this season however Lemanis has managed to break though for his first win of the Lindsay Gaze Trophy.
Lemanis becomes the 24th man in NBL history to win the Lindsay Gaze Trophy and the first New Zealand Breakers leader to be so honoured.
