(Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors removed Jay Triano's interim tag and signed their new head coach to a three-year contract on Monday.

Triano was handed the reins when Sam Mitchell was dismissed on December 3, 2008. Triano had served as an assistant to Mitchell and was in his seventh season as a member of the Raptors' coaching staff. He is the seventh head coach in franchise history.

Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"Despite some difficult circumstances this past season, Jay Triano never stopped coaching, teaching and leading this team, which resulted in a very strong finish," said Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo. "After undertaking a thorough evaluation process, it is clear that Jay is the right coach to guide this team in the future."

Toronto ended this past season on a high note, going 9-4 in its final 13 outings, including wins over Eastern Conference playoff participants Chicago, Orlando and Philadelphia. The Raptors were 12-15 after the All-Star break with Triano compiling a 25-40 record overall. Toronto ended the 2008-09 campaign with a 33-49 mark and a fourth-place finish in the Atlantic Division.

Triano, who was the head coach of the Canadian men's national team from 1998-2004, became the first Canadian born and Canadian trained coach in the NBA when he was hired by Toronto in 2002 as an assistant coach under Lenny Wilkens.

The Niagara Falls native also served as an assistant coach of the USAB Select Team (2007 and 2008), the head coach of the Nike Skills Academy in Vancouver (2006) and Toronto (2007), and for the past six years as a coach at the prestigious Euro Camp in Treviso, Italy.



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