SOLENT Stars' second men's team take centre stage at Fleming Park tonight (8pm) when they begin their English Basketball League Division 3 play-off campaign against East Kent.

Coach Mick Byrne's league champions go into the competition as top seeds but he is under no illusion about the difficulty of the task.

"Although we have beaten East Kent twice this season in league games, they were both close matches," he pointed out.

"They are a well-coached side that play with a lot of discipline and in Paul Jessop and Robbie Parker they have potential match winners as both are capable of scoring a lot of points."

For Solent, Dave McKay, Andy Aung, Liam Wyatt, Clayton Milner, Ryan Payne, pictured, and captain Jon Rumsey will provide the experience they hope will be enough to take them to a home semi-final game against Aston Athletics or Westside on April 9.

With relative newcomers James Chubb, Craig Dawson and Lawrence Rowe ready to play their part, only Trevor Donaldson remains a fitness doubt because of an injured ankle.

Director Jim Rumsey said: "This is the first time in Solent's 25-year history that they have fielded a second men's team and it is a great credit to the coach, manager and players that they have won their league."