Niagara Knights men's basketball head coach Keith Vassell has been named interim head coach of the Niagara River Lions, a professional men's basketball team competing in the National Basketball League of Canada.

Vassell will remain with the Niagara College men's basketball program and is looking forward to accepting the challenge of working with the River Lions for the remainder of the season.

"I am excited for the opportunity to be the interim Head Coach of the River Lions for the rest of the season. My hope is that this experience can help me to be a better coach for my guys at Niagara College for the upcoming season in September."

Vassell, a native of Scarborough, spent 11 seasons competing with the Canadian men's national basketball program and is a former CIS (now Usports) men's basketball player of the year. He took over as head coach of the Niagara Knights in spring of 2014. In his three seasons with the Knights the team has a record of 33-19.

"It is amazing to be presented with an opportunity like this after what I believe to be a premature finish to the NC season. Being able to keep coaching the Knights while having this chance in the off season is like having my cake and eating it too."

Vassell and the Knights finished the 2016-17 regular season with a record of 13-3 and in second place in the ultra-competitive OCAA West Division. The team finished fourth in the province after losing a tight battle with the Humber Hawks in the bronze medal game.