Basketball: Derby coach's second ban

BOB DONEWALD, the Derby Storm coach, completed a tumultuous week in the club's history yesterday by collecting another two-game ban, his second of the season, and his third pounds 300 fine of the Budweiser League Campaign.

Unless Donewald is successful with the appeal he has lodged against an earlier ban imposed last week, the 29-year-old American will miss a minimum of four games over the coming weeks including the second leg of Derby's League Trophy semi-final.

The week began with the Basketball League and English Basketball Association announcing a joint commission of inquiry into Derby's game at Chester Jets last Sunday, which was abandoned after 28 seconds because of fighting among the players.

Derby have suspended their England international Yorick Williams pending the result of the inquiry. Chester police yesterday confirmed they were still taking statements from witnesses to an alleged assault which resulted in Jet's physio, Alison Troughton, suffering a dislocated jaw.

Donewald appealed against the first ban, which cleared him to coach in Wednesday's defeat at Thames Valley Tigers and tonight's home game against Worthing Bears. However, the disciplinary officer of the Association could increase the punishment if he feels the appeal is unwarranted.

The ban announced yesterday came after the association considered video evidence of Donewald's behaviour against Birmingham Bullets two weeks ago.

If he does not appeal he is banned from league games at Newcastle and at home to Edinburgh.