Basketball: Storm coach resigns in anger

Steve Tucker, the Derby Storm coach, resigned from the Budweiser League club yesterday and accused top players and bosses of ruining the sport in England.

Tucker is returning to Mississippi to rehabilitate from severe backaches caused by a car accident in January. But another reason for his departure is the "disgust" he feels for the approach of English basketball.

"I will never come back to England to coach," he said. Tucker claimed that teams are not competing on a level playing field and rapped the League for not strictly enforcing the pounds 140,000 salary cap. "I'm disgusted the big teams don't honour the salary cap. If they're going to have one, they have to enforce it," he said.

The London Towers coach, Kevin Cadle, and the Leopards chief Billy Mims, both television pundits for Sky Sports, were two further targets for Tucker's anger. Tucker also criticised the English Basketball Association for failing to give the England coach, Laszlo Nemeth, the support he needs to build a strong England team.

Jeff Jones will stand in as Derby's coach for tonight's trip to Newcastle and this weekend's games only.