The Montréal Alliance announced Monday the appointment of Jermaine Small, a two-time CEBL champion and Coach of the Year with the Edmonton Stingers, as the team’s new head coach on a historic two-year contract. Small, who boasts the highest winning percentage among head coaches in CEBL history (0.719), becomes the third head coach in franchise history and the first to sign a multi-year deal. The Alliance decided not to renew the contract of Derrick Alston Sr. who has served as the team’s head coach since 2023.
Small arrives in Montréal with one of the most impressive records in CEBL history. In four seasons with Edmonton, he maintained a 37-14 regular season record and 4-2 playoff record, leading the Stingers to two championships (2020, 2021) and three consecutive CEBL Final appearances.
“Bringing Jermaine Small to Montréal on a two-year commitment aligns perfectly with our long-term vision,” states Joel Anthony, General Manager and co-owner of the Alliance. “With his experience and understanding of our league, I’m confident he will help build and maintain a team that Montréal will be proud to support.”
“I am honoured to join the Montréal Alliance,” states Small. “This city has a rich basketball history and an impressive talent pool. I’m excited to work with Joel Anthony and the entire organization to build something special here.”
Small spent three seasons as the head coach of the University of Lethbridge and was most recently coaching in the Japanese B League.
A Toronto native, Small is already familiar with Québec’s basketball landscape, having studied at Vanier College in Montréal.
Small succeeds Derrick Alston Sr., who led the team for two seasons (2023-2024). He becomes the third head coach in franchise history, following Vincent Lavandier (2022) and Alston Sr.
“On behalf of the entire organization, I want to thank Derrick for his contributions to the Montréal Alliance,” said Joel Anthony. “Derrick played an important role in establishing the foundation of our franchise during its early years, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
-REPMTL-
About the Montréal Alliance
The Montréal Alliance is a professional basketball team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) since 2022. Under the leadership of President Jo-Annie Charbonneau and General Manager Joel Anthony, a two-time NBA champion, the Alliance will begin its fourth season in May 2025. In January 2025, the team was acquired by Alli-Oop Investments, a 100% Montréal-based ownership group led by Joel Anthony, alongside Léo Bouisson and Ian-Philip Paul-Hus. The Alliance, which has seen two former players sign NBA contracts and features Ahmed Hill, the first player in league history to reach 1,000 career points, is distinguished by its community engagement and development of local talent. The team plays its home games at the Verdun Auditorium. For more information, visit www.alliancemontreal.ca.