Coaching staff

Coach Matthew Harber joined ARU in 2017 as the Head Coach of our high performance basketball teams and has been instrumental to the growth and success of the programme in recent years.

Harber, a Loughborough University graduate, has a rich coaching history, having established his craft and reputation as the Head Coach of the Leicester Riders and Loughborough University women’s basketball programme between 2009 and 2017. He developed and supported numerous youth talents during his tenure there, who went on to feature as members of various national teams and US collegiate teams and become professional players both in the UK and overseas. He led his programme to five national titles during those eight seasons, including a three-time BUCS Premier Championship in 2013, 2015 and 2017.

Following his success in the East Midlands, Harber was honoured on numerous occasions as a member of the English and British national team coaching staff, having held roles as both an assistant and head coach at various age groups. Most notably, Harber was named as the Head Coach of the Great Britain U16 national team back in 2017, prior to his arrival at ARU. He was named as the Talent Manager for the East Region by Basketball England in 2019, where he oversees the development of youth talent and coaching within the area.

Since his arrival at ARU, Harber has transformed the ethos and performance of ARU Basketball, having improved the programme’s overall win% from 29% in 2016-17 to 87% across all competitions following the 2019-20 season. Coach Harber was also a key contributor in the various national titles ARU Basketball has won during recent years, including:

• 2017-18 and 2018-19 back-to-back WNBL division one play-off championships
• 2020 Women’s National Cup title
• Men’s BUCS 2A undefeated league title and promotion to BUCS division one

Coach Jacob Lloyd joined the ARU Basketball programme in September 2020 as our women’s basketball Head Coach, following his playing career both in the UK and overseas.

The Essex native had a successful youth career, having captained the Welsh U16 national team in 2010 and been named in the all-tournament select team at the 2011 U18 European Championships Division C, having finished second overall in points (17.5) and assists (2.5) per game.

Lloyd went on to play for the renowned coach Dave Titmuss at NBL Division One side Hemel Storm, before going on to be a dual-sport, scholarship-athlete at Proctor Academy as a basketball and soccer player in the United States.

Following his time in New Hampshire, Lloyd returned to his home county to attend the University of Essex, where he was an integral player within their men’s basketball programme and eventually transitioned into coaching. Most notably, he served as an assistant coach with the Essex Blades WNBL division one team between 2015 and 2018, helping them to achieve numerous titles, including the 2016 national cup and the 2017-18 League Championship.

Lloyd quickly built a reputation for his analytical skills, enthusiasm and work ethic, so much so that he was appointed as a performance analyst for the England U17 and England Senior Women’s national team during their silver medal 2018 Commonwealth Games campaign.

In 2018, Lloyd then travelled once again to the United States, this time to attend the University of Houston, to pursue his masters degree in sports administration and fitness management. He returned home in 2019 to become a lecturer in sport and social sciences at the Colchester Institute, a role which he now combines with his head coaching position here at ARU.

Former ARU Basketball player Georges Mompoint joined the programme as an Assistant Coach for the men’s basketball team in September 2019 and has played an integral role within the coaching staff in recent seasons.

Haitian-born Mompoint had a strong reputation in the NBL leagues, known for his athleticism and ability to score at will. He represented the Rhinos in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons and was a key talent who aided the progress and development of the team during those early seasons under Coach Harber’s leadership.

Current ARU Basketball veteran-player Kasia Neininger joined the programme as an Assistant Coach for the men’s basketball team in September 2019 and combines her coaching role with being a key member of our successful WNBL Division One team.

Neininger had an extensive playing career in her home country of Poland, most notably having played for the powerhouse club, Enea AZS Poznan. Neininger brought her passion for basketball with her to Cambridge and has been a key member of our WNBL Division One side since its inception. The forward has been a consistent contributor on and off the floor, having helped the team to become the 2018 and 2019 WNBL division one play-off champions and 2020 national cup winners.

Current ARU Basketball point guard Eduardo Da Silva Lucas joined the programme as an Assistant Coach for the women’s basketball team in October 2020 and combines his coaching role with being a key member of our successful NBL Division Three team.

Da Silva Lucas had a successful youth career in his home country of Portugal, being known for his creativity and flair on the offensive side of the game in his home club of SC Marinhense. He signed for ARU Basketball back in 2018 and has been a key role model in the point guard position and a significant contributor to the growth of the team between 2018 and 2020. He helped lead our 2019-20 team to the most successful NBL campaign in club history, including securing the club’s first ever play-off position.