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Alf Arlidge helped bring the Otago Nuggets a long way - but he will be watching the opening game next season from the stands.
Arlidge stepped down on Tuesday as Nuggets coach after four seasons, the last of which featured some of the franchise's greatest moments in its 23-year history.
The popular coach intends to devote more time to his family and is looking forward to coaching his twin sons at King's High School.
There was nothing odd in the timing, nor anything controversial about his decision, Arlidge told the Otago Daily Times.
''It's for personal reasons, and I'm going to leave it at that. There's no one reason,'' he said.
''I'm really pleased with the timing. It's my decision, it's the right decision and I feel really good about it.''
''All I want is the best for the Nuggets in the future. We've built something really good over the last four or five years.
''We came from nowhere to be a playoff team, and I think we've put things in place for us to stay at that level. The boys have had a taste of success and the culture we have built is really good.''
Arlidge inherited a basket case when he got the job in 2010. The Nuggets had skipped the league in 2009 due to financial constraints and possessed a lean roster.
His first (unpaid) season was a disaster - 18 straight losses - and his second was not much better, with two wins and another wooden spoon.
But then the good times rolled. The Nuggets won six games in 2012 and shocked everyone this year with an 8-0 run to start the season and a trip to the playoffs for the first time in 16 years.
''This year was a really big highlight,'' Arlidge said.
''We'd done a lot of work in the off-season and got the team really prepared and focused. Making the semifinals was a great effort,'' he said.
Arlidge listed the 145-137 win in quadruple overtime over Taranaki as the most ''unbelievable game'' during his time in charge. The 92-59 win over Nelson was also pleasing for the quality of defence the Nuggets played.
He was proud to have developed ''unsung heroes'' such as Matt Trueman, Sam King, Riki Buckrell, Hayden Miller and James Ross, who learned plenty in the grim seasons and got to contribute to the good times, and to have brought Otago great Mark Dickel back into the Nuggets' fold.
Arlidge is not sure who will replace him, but praised assistants Gavin Briggs and Dean Ruske for their work for the team.
Basketball Otago general manager Markham Brown understands Arlidge's decision to step down.
''Alf has put in a huge effort for four years now and I can testify to the fact he has put in a massive amount of time in his tenure,'' Brown said.
''Add this on top of fulltime work and raising a family, and I don't know how he achieved this and built what he did with the team. He can be very proud of what he has achieved.''
Board member David Smith echoed that praise.
''Alf's tenure has been a very rewarding time for our franchise,'' Smith said.
''His eternally positive approach to everything that is basketball has been infectious both though the team, the franchise and all of Basketball Otago.''
The Nuggets are confident they will have a replacement coach in place by the end of January.