Nelson Terroba, Calgary Surge's first head coach, steps down after one season with the team

Ambitions are high for the Calgary Surge this season, but the basketball club will have to outdo last year's near-championship winning effort without head coach Nelson Terroba. 

The city's Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) team announced Friday that Terroba won't be coming back in 2024.

He signed a year-long extension with the team in December, which, at the time, made him one of three coaches in the CEBL signed to full-time positions.

"Nelson played a pivotal role in the success of our first season," Surge general manager Shane James said.

"While this is a bittersweet moment for our organization, we can't wait to see what he accomplishes in this next chapter of his career."

Terroba, the Surge's bench boss during its inaugural season, lead the team to the championship game where they fell a few buckets short of a title against the Scarborough Shooting Stars.

That appearance came after a 12-8 regular-season record that saw the Surge finish on top of the league's western conference.

Terroba arrived in Calgary after a stint as the assistant head coach with his home-state Texas Legends in the NBA G-League. He had a previous CEBL outing before that, as the lead assistant coach for the Saskatchewan Rattlers.

He's heading back to Texas to pursue a coaching opportunity in that state. The team said there are no more details on Terroba's next role.

"The organization wishes Coach Terroba nothing but the best as he takes on this new endeavour," the Surge said in a statement. 

"It has been incredibly special to work with him and we are grateful for all his contributions to the Surge and to the Calgary community."

A spokesperson with the Surge told CBC News that a new head coach is "expected to be announced soon."