ACHARA CEDES ROCKS CAPTAINCY

Glasgow Rocks topsy-turvy start to the season has taken a shock twist after it emerged Kieron Achara is no longer the club’s captain.

The 35-year-old stood down as Great Britain skipper earlier this week when he confirmed his international retirement with 105 caps to his name.

But the Scots now go into Friday night’s BBL Cup quarter-final at Plymouth Raiders off the back of a major change off the court with Achara’s form seemingly deemed a factor in a run that’s left the Rocks second bottom of the league.

“I’d like Kieron to focus on Kieron,†revealed head coach Darryl Wood. “He has challenges in his game at the moment so it’s best he focuses on himself. We won’t replace him in the role because it’s not as big a deal in basketball as it is in others sports. But I’d prefer that Kieron isn’t trying to fix problems.â€

With Achara a hugely influential figure in the sport, the change represents a major roll of the dice. But Wood admits questioning the heart and desire of his players following a fourth quarter meltdown against Plymouth in a league loss last week was a gamble by itself.

“Some took it well, others didn’t,†he said. “We had conversations. I said it was in the heat of the moment but I still believe it. When one or two things go badly, we struggle to cope with it and that is about character. But the response seems to have been positive.

“And I hope playing in the Cup helps us because more than anything, it’s a different competition and a chance to reset. We’re not going to win the league now so it’s important for us to get a result.â€

Elsewhere, Surrey Scorchers have re-signed Kalil Irving

Photo: Mansoor Ahmed

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