The Rizing Fukuoka on Thursday handed the coaching reins to Tomohiro Moriyama, who steered the Shimane Susanoo Magic to the playoffs after a disastrous start last season.

The 31-year-old Moriyama replaces veteran mentor Joe Bryant, the now-defunct Tokyo Apache¡¯s original bench boss, on the Rizing sideline.

After playing their last regular-season game on April 26, Fukuoka management issued no public statements about Bryant¡¯s status or the team¡¯s coaching plans for the bj-league¡¯s 11th and final season until the announcement that Moriyama will take over. (Bryant was a midseason replacement for the Rizing.)